SINGERS in a church choir sung their hearts out during a special invitation to Westminster Abbey.

The chamber choir of Chingford Parish Church, in The Green, sung their very best inside the hallowed halls of Westminster Abbey for evensong on Thursday and Friday (July 21 and 22).

Musical director Michael Emerson led the choir, made up of former members of the girls’ choir, now university age and older, together with some male singers from the main choir.

Westminster Abbey specifically invited the choir to return after a successful visit two years ago.

Cathedrals and abbeys let parish choirs through their doors when the regular choir is away for the summer, but Westminster Abbey is notoriously “fussy” about who they accept.

Assistant musical director, Tom Cowhig said the choir did well to cope with wearing their “heavy robes" in last week's "hot and humid conditions”.

He added: “Yet friends present commented on the quality of the singing.

“Evensong draws congregations well into the hundreds as the abbey is such a popular tourist destination.”

The boys’ and men’s choir is next off to sing services in Ely Cathedral, in Cambridgeshire, for a full week in August.

In the autumn, a combined choirs’ production will release a new CD of Christmas music.