DOZENS of singers came together for a day of musical harmony at Herrison Hall in Charlton Down.

The Dorset Community Choir Festival involved 150 singers from 12 different choirs across Dorset as well as from Somerset, Wiltshire and Hampshire.

Event co-ordinator Su Lewis said it was the third year of the festival and she said feedback suggested it was the best yet.

She said: “It was superb, we got wonderful feedback from everybody – they loved the whole day.

“They were very complimentary about the leaders and the songs that we did.”

Su added: “It was the third year we had done it and each time we got feedback and we adapted the way we did things in response to that. I think we have hit the winning formula now.”

The choirs were given songs to work on throughout the day and at the end they were able to perform their own pieces as individual choirs as well as joining together to sing one of the songs they had been taught.

Su, choir leader of Portland based community choir Island Voices, said: “It was very positive and the sound they made was superb, it really culminated in some beautiful music.”

Su said the popularity of the event reflected a general growth in people coming together inspired by television programmes such as The Choir, or what she calls ‘the Gareth Malone effect’.

She said: “There is a real growth in community singing.

“It’s a lovely thing to share.”