St Bartholomew’s Church in Tardebigge was filled with more than 100 attendees as a 'Come and Sing' choir led a special service of Evensong.

Revd Sarah Jayne Hewitt had the idea for the service which was led by The Venerable Paul Taylor, Emeritus Archdeacon of Sherborne, now residing in Brokchill, Redditch.

The event brought together enthusiasts of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer (BCP) style of worship.

Revd Hewitt said: "The regular Evensong at St Bartholomew’s church had dwindled to under 10 attendees so I wanted to do something to revitalise the community.

"We had no idea how many people would come to join the choir or the congregation, but were absolutely thrilled with the turnout."

The 'Come and Sing' choir pulled thirty singers from neighbouring towns, boasting a varied selection of music.

Their schedule included a 3pm rehearsal, 5pm afternoon tea for both the choir and congregation, and a 6pm BCP Choral Evensong.

The evening was led musically by Paul Taylor and his organist friend, Cyril Verey.

The success of the event has left people requesting more of these gatherings.

Revd Hewitt said: "We have had lots of requests to do something similar again and I hope that as a result we plan to establish a new worshipping community which uses the BCP 1662 prayerbook tradition.

"I was also able to promote other local BCP services, fostering a network of support to ensure the sustainability of this niche worshipping community in Bromsgrove and Redditch."