A grant from a national trust will help to continue the tradition of choral music at Blackburn Cathedral.

The Cathedral Music Trust has presented the headquarters of the Anglican Church in Lancashire with £30,000.

An announcement on their website, confirming the decision, say it is "to support the lay clerks' salaries",

The generosity, say church leaders, "will help the Ccathedral enormously in its mission to change lives through the Anglican Choral Tradition".

Musical director John Robinson said: "To stand in front of a choir as they discover magnificent music, whether it be by Bach, Stanford or Judith Weir is the greatest privilege. Safeguarding that opportunity for our singers is so important.

"To be able to run a cathedral choir, especially in an area that is not well-served with musical provision, is an important investment in opportunity and community.

"Safeguarding this great resource for all our singers is so important.”

"As music is at the very heart of worship and we have such a strong tradition for musical excellence, we thank The Cathedral Music Trust for their incredible support.”

The cathedral is home to three choirs, which perform varying functions across the musical range.

The Cathedral Choir is open to boys and girls aged eight and over, professional standard adults and choral scholars and makes regular appearances at services.

And the Cathedral Youth Choir, open for students from Year Nine to Year 12, sings at the Parish Eucharist. St Paul's Voices is the cathedral's voluntary choir, directed by Organist in Residence John Hosking.