CHEPSTOW Male Voice Choir cele­brated its 25th anniversary with a concert in the place where it all began.

Some of the pieces performed on Saturday night had been sung in the choir's first concert at St Mary's Church in July 1988.

The church was packed to capacity for the concert which also featured Clive Lewis playing Handel's Sound An Alarm and solo soprano Rachel Marsh who sang from a wide repertoire.

The choir sang a range of songs in English and in Welsh and although nearly a fifth of the choristers are from the Forest they learn the Welsh pieces very quickly.

Twelve of the original choristers are still singing with the choir and Elaine Matthews, who was the first accompanist is now the musical director.

Over the years the choir has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for charity with performances all over the UK.

The choir has performed in many cathedrals including St Paul's in London and York Minster. Next month they will travel to the north-east for four days and will sing at Wakefield Cathedral on the way and perform on Lindisfarne.

Jubilee celebrations will continue this year with a piece of music by one of the country's leading arrangers for male voice choirs which will be dedicated to the choir.

The jubilee concert was recorded and an anniversary logo has been designed – along with a wine bottle label for a specially-marketed wine from a local vineyard.

The choir's diary for 2014 is almost full and they will continue to sing in competitions including the National Eisteddfod.