STEETON Male Voice Choir has again taken part in the massive Festival of Brass and Voices at the Royal Albert Hall.

The men were among more than 1,000 singers and musicians from dozens of UK groups who raised money for cancer care and research at the three-yearly concert in London.

The Steeton choir received a special certificate from Cancer Research UK in honour of taking part in every festival since 1987.

And Mike Hopkinson – a member of the choir since 1986 – was given the prestigious role of writing a history of the festival for the concert programme.

Mike, who began his male voice choir career with Vauxhall Motors in the 1970s, has attended every concert since it began in 1987.

Choir spokesman Eric Parker said: “Steeton was honoured on stage at the Royal Albert Hall with a certificate presented to Mike to confirm we had attended every festival.

“This was indeed a tribute to the choir prosperous 110-year history.

“I have only been to this festival at the Royal Albert Hall twice and it is to be experienced to know the atmosphere, camaraderie and privilege to sing, and to make music there in a vast choir accompanied by brass bands.”

The citation read “with grateful thanks for your support, which has enabled us to contribute so much for research into the cure and care of cancer sufferers”.

The festival began in 1987, initially in aid of Yorkshire Cancer Research and usually held at the Royal Albert Hall.

In the year 2000 ladies' choirs were added to the male-voice line-up, and in 2006 the festival was held for the first time for Cancer Research UK with 59 choirs.

Held again in 2009, 2012 and 2015, the concert grew to 27 male voice choirs, 23 ladies' choirs and three mixed voice choirs, with more than 1,500 singers.

The first concert in 1987 raised £1,000, and the three concerts up to 2012 collectively raised £500,000.