TWO concerts held over the Christmas period in Dursley brought together those fairly new to choral singing with some of the best in the business.

Dursley Male Voice Choir (DMVC) invites a guest performer each year for its festive event and for 2013 invited the Cotswold Youth Singers group to play at the Chantry Centre.

This year, there were six new songs in their repertoire, as well as old favourites such as Hark the Herald Angels Sing and The Twelve Days after Christmas. The evening also included a solo performance from Stan Unwin, who sang Rutter’s Nativity Carol.

The Cotswold Youth Singers, led by Jane Williams have won the Heart FM choir competition twice, with members from University of Gloucestershire and Rednock School.

Both choirs joined together to sing O Holy Night, directed by Barrie Cooper and the evenings' crowds were also entertained by compere Terry Pascoe throughout the night.

The concerts on Friday, December 20 and Saturday, December 21 raised money for the choir, which is a registered charity. The sum raised is not yet known.

DMVC has raised over £20,000 in 2013 for numerous charities in the area and is set to be in concert with tenor and Go Compare advert personality Wynne Evans at the Victoria Rooms in Clifton, Bristol on Saturday, April 5 in aid of Royal National Lifeboat Institution' Portishead Boat House Appeal.

Tickets are £20 and available from www.dursleymalechoir.org.uk