GIRLS who have sung at Salisbury Cathedral were invited back at the weekend for a celebration of the 20th anniversary of the formation of the first girls’ cathedral choir in the UK in 1991.

More than 80 former choristers were singing alongside the current incarnations in a Celebration Concert broadcast as the BBC Radio 4 Morning Worship live broadcast, Festal Eucharist and Evensong.

Director of Music David Halls said: “The undoubted success of the new girl chorister tradition, which is now firmly established in cathedrals throughout the country, has added to the glorious heritage of boy choristers and we are very proud of having led the way in 1991.”

The choristers were joined by Dr Richard Seal, organist and Master of the Choristers from 1968 to 1997, and Simon Lole, director of music from 1997 to 2005.

Since 1991, almost 120 girls have been choristers at Salisbury. The girl choristers sang Evensong for the first time in Salisbury Cathedral on October 7, 1991.

A significant number have subsequently become choral scholars in the Oxbridge Chapel Choirs.