MEMBERS of the “oldest choir in the world” have been presented with Guinness World Record certificates.

Staff, family and friends gathered at St John’s House care home, at Kirk Hammerton, to be entertained by the choir and to congratulate the singers who, with an average age of 91, had broken the previous world record by ten years.

Before receiving their awards, the choir sang songs from their first CD, before finishing their performance with Do-Re-Mi, from the Sound Of Music. The record certificates were presented by the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire Air Commodore William Gambold.

The evening was especially significant for the Queen’s representative who, having recently celebrated his 75th birthday, was retiring after the event after 12 years in the role.

He told members of the choir: “All around the world there’ll be other choirs trying to take the record off you, so keep going now.”