AWARDS were presented during the Hereford Diocesan Choirs Festival to successful candidates from Ledbury, Hereford and as far away as Bridgnorth.

Among the winners were husband and wife Brian and Hilda Hawcutt, who have been married for more than 50 years.

Hilda, who plays the organ at Eastnor Church, has passed Stage 3 of the Diocese Organist Training Scheme and Brian, who started singing at St Michael's in Ledbury in the early 1970s, was presented with a Dean's Chorister Award.

Over the years Brian has built more than a hundred pieces of furniture, including the nave altar in Ledbury Church, where he is deputy churchwarden and has been a long-serving member of the PCC.

Awards were also presented to six other choristers from Ledbury Parish Church choir.

The youngest recipient of a Diocesan Organist Training Scheme award was Jonathan Nichols, from Marden, who at the age of 19 has passed Stage 2. Jonathan recently left Hereford Sixth Form College.