A CELEBRATION of 40 years of singing for a choir in Shipston has been marked with the purchase of a new piano.

Stour Singers, founded and directed by Richard Emms, rehearse each week in Shipston Primary School.

It was during a recent rehearsal that the faithful piano they had been using had seen better days and they decided to mark their fourth decade by buying a new one.

The Yamaho Clavinova piano is now in the school for current and future generations of children to enjoy, as well as accompany the choristers as they practise.

Members of Stour Singers were invited to an assembly at the school on Monday, where MNr Emms spoke to the children and then fitted a plaque to the piano with the words "A gift from Stour Singers on their 40th Anniversary." He then gave our new piano its first play.

Head of federation, Christian Hilton said: "The Stour Singers have a long association with the school and it is a wonderful gesture to provide us with a new piano for our benefit as well as theirs. Children are queuing up to play our new instrument in Achievement Assemblies on Friday mornings. This special connection between Stour Singers and our school will continue later in the year with a joint 'Big Carol Sing' in December."