Choristers were delighted to receive a winning trophy at a choir festival after months of hard preparation work.

Flint Male Voice Choir travelled to the Isle of Man Festival of Choirs to “sing with their hearts” and compete for their category title.

Kevin Whitley, musical director of the choir, revealed the choristers said the Villa Marina, in Douglas, Isle of Man, was a lovely place to sing where the “great echo” carried the male voices afar.

He said: “It was a great experience, and the choir sang the best I’ve ever heard, phenomenally.

“The echo was great and you could hear it come back. The whole experience was fantastic.”

The choir competed against four other male voice groups from across the UK to an audience of nearly 500 people.

Eric Lambert, chairman of the choir, said: “The audience were absolutely amazing, we were overwhelmed by the support and the whole experience.

“The choristers absolutely sang on top form and followed the musical director.

“Everyone sang from the heart and it was a wonderful experience with a wonderful audience.

“We did very well and we are all ever so proud. I remember the adjudicator saying we were absolutely outstanding.”

The choir performed four songs and according to Mr Lambert, they “enjoyed every single one” and were unable to choose their favourite tune.

“The choir have come on leaps and bounds with the musical director, Kevin, who has put us through our paces. And we are all over the moon.”

Flint Male Voice Choir are busy performing in the run up to Christmas and will be performing in St Asaph Cathedral at the end of November in aid of Tenovus cancer care, and at their home town in Flint at the end of November for Age Connect.

On December 9, the choir will perform with other artists at St George’s Hall, Liverpool before welcoming international choirs from Belgium, and Georgia, USA, to perform at Ysgol Gwynedd in Flint in spring next year.