CHILDREN of Whitesheet Primary Academy in Zeals opened a concert with the Salisbury Cathedral’s Boy Choristers and Lay Vicars last week.

The Concert of Cathedral Music was held in St Martin’s Church, Zeals and was organised by the community of Zeals and the Parish of Upper Stour on Monday to celebrate the start of the restoration programme of the church’s William Sweetland 1866 pipe organ.

Ross Coad, chairman of Friends of St Martin’s Church said: “It was a real one-off opportunity to hear this wonderful choir – and our superb school children - in our delightful local church.”

The Whitesheet choir started the concert with their own special school songs.

And the cathedral choir’s director David Halls chose music from composers including Blow, Lloyd, Purcell and Vaughn Williams, to celebrate the fundraising activity that has gone into raising more than £50,000 for the project.

The Money has been principally raised through the Heritage Lottery Fund, The Wiltshire Historic Churches Fund, Church Care, the Church Buildings Council and The Landfill Communities Fund, which is administered for The Hills Group Limited by Community First, the Rural Community Council for Wiltshire.

Organ restorer Andrew Fearn is planning to start the dismantling of the organ later this month and opportunities will be provided for all ages to visit and see the work. The organ will then be rebuilt at his factory at Ottery St Mary.

It should be returned to the church in late June with a rededication service planned for September.