HUDDERSFIELD friends William Noble and John Cocking have released their first album - after 21 years of singing together.

The CD, on Suffolk-based Veteran Records, is called Yon Green Banks and features traditional songs from the Holme and Colne valleys.

Mr Noble, 60, of Shepley, and Mr Cocking, 66, from Marsden, have been singing traditional songs together since 1983.

They originally sang as a foursome, with friends Barry Bridgewater, of Denby Dale and the late Ernest Yates, from Marsden.

Mr Noble said: "I was asked by Holmfirth Folk Festival officials to get some good local singers together. It was just going to be a one-off session.

"Then someone asked if we would sing at a folk club - and it snowballed from there. We went all over the country to folk festivals."

Mr Bridgewater and Mr Yates left the group after five years, but Mr Noble and Mr Cocking continued to perform. They have even played in the USA.

Mr Noble and Mr Cocking, both dry-stone wallers by trade, discovered their love of traditional songs by their involvement with countryside events. At the age of 24, Mr Noble was invited to an after-hunt singing session with Holme Valley Beagles and started to learn local songs.

Mr Cocking was from a hill-farming family at Marsden and hunted with both the Holme Valley and Colne Valley beagle packs.

As well as singing hunting songs, he also performed monologues.

Mr Noble said: "Singing these songs is very much a local, rural tradition. It's not that popular, but we like it because it is specific to the district and our families have lived in the area for generations."

The CD took two years to put together. Recordings were made at live performances at the Huntsman pub above Holmfirth and the Three Horseshoes at Dutton Hill in Essex.

Mr Cocking said: "It's taken a while. But it is nice to see it all put together. There's a bit of audience participation and 16 tracks. There have been some good vibes about it."

The CD is available at £12.99 from www. veteran.co.uk and at folk festivals. Mr Cocking's CD of monologues, Uppards, can also be found on the website.