A FLINTSHIRE choir has conquered the world having won a prestigious competition.

Kinnerton-based choir The Clwyd Clippers scooped gold at the International Choir Competition in Riva del Garda in northern Italy.

After years of competing in international choir festivals at home and across Europe, the choir this year came out on top, winning the prestigious Men's Choir category against stiff opposition from around the world.

In the last three years, at competitions in the Isle of Man, Portugal and Spain have seen the chorus come close to winning, but this year they went one better.

The chorus, originally from Mold, and led by talented local musical director Danny Spindler, sang three songs of their own choice to a large appreciative audience and a group of music judges to come out on top. This was together with a preliminary contest and main contest where they were classified to be the best men’s chorus.

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As well as the competition itself, the chorus got to take part in a mass parade through the streets of Riva del Garda which opened the event.

Clippers chairman Jason Ward from Holywell said: "The Clippers have really had a great time here in Italy, we had previously only won bronze medals at this level, but were given the gold award for scoring over 70 per cent in the men’s category which any music judge would tell you is a high score.

"We've also made a lot of friends in Riva, with our Welsh flag held aloft whilst parading through the town before the competition, and they came to cheer us on.

"Although the Clippers are all English speaking from across Flintshire, Chester, and the Wirral, we had managed to learn one of our songs in Welsh, which was a first in this international competition."