A Cockermouth choir which was set up in Victorian times is still going strong and will celebrate its 150th anniversary with a programme of events.

Cockermouth Harmonic Society was established in 1867 and has presented choral concerts every year since. It is one of the oldest musical organisations in the country and has a professional musical director and accompanist.

The 65-strong mixed voice choir will stage three major concerts in the town this year as well as an exhibition.

Tim Hirst, of Papcastle, has been chairman for the past 25 years.

“I’m Cumbrian by birth and moved back to the area in 1990. I was delighted to find this very friendly organisation was in existence,” said Tim, who is retired but was in charge of the West Lakes Science and Technology Park.

“I have always been involved in singing, from church choirs to choirs at university or wherever I was working.

“While I have been chair for 25 years there are about 10 people who arrived before me. People come from Carlisle, Keswick, Wigton, all over West Cumbria, and ages range from 30 to 94.

“The choir enjoyed a resurgence in the late 80s. We have had 60/70 people in at a time over the last 25 years. Everyone is welcome. We are a friendly group of people who enjoy choral singing, an ambitious group of enthusiastic amateurs.”

The choir rehearses once a week and stages at least two performances a year. It has performed in cathedrals in Carlisle and Blackburn, as well as at The Sands Centre and in Marvejols.

The choir was founded by public subscription. “The great and good of Cockermouth contributed money towards the formation of the society in March or April of 1867,” said Tim.

“There was no television or radio in those days. I presume the Victorians thought it would be a good thing for the town.”

The first performance, purely for subscribers, was in December. The first public performance was the following year.

The first anniversary concert, A Taste of Italy, will take place at 7.30pm on Saturday, January 28, in Christ Church.

The other concerts will be on April 8 and July 8. The exhibition will be in autumn.

Tickets – £15, full-time students free – are available from Billy Bowman Music, choir members or on the door.

For more information visit www.cockermouthharmonic.org.uk