IT'S a tale of a big Mrs Sunderland success for Colne Valley Male Voice Choir, with three first prizes, one second, the Joseph Hancock trophy - and 84 ties.
The choir, under musical director Thom Meredith, worked hard all day but the pay-off came when they were the winners of the Choir Prizewinners' Challenge, against some very good competition indeed.
And the ties? Well, at the festival the choir met up with the Mayor of Kirklees, Clr Margaret Fearnley, and her husband and Mayor's Consort Barry Fearnley.
And they could not resist the urge to show off some of the 84 ties they had ordered.
The ties were bought partly by choir members, the choir committee and a generous grant from the choir's principal sponsor, C J Antich & Son.
Seen in the picture, from left to right, are: Eric Cooper, publicity officer; Jeff Bamforth, vice-chairman; Stuart Baxter, general secretary; Peter Denby, choir chairman; Melvin Smith, librarian; the Mayor and Consort; and David Robinson, choir website manager.
The man behind the camera was vice-chairman David Hirst.
The ties were commissioned and are being sold to support the Mayor's Charity. The choir had decided that they would wear them on a trip to Huddersfield's twin town of Besançon in May.
There they will meet up again with Clr Fearnley and her husband Barry, who are going to Besançon for a holiday.
