SONGWRITERS have handed over the compositions they wrote to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Pendle’s three civic choirs.

Singers of all ages will now start rehearsing the new songs, based on poems submitted by Pendle people, to be aired at a series of celebration concerts in 2009.

The poems chosen were written by Renee Blackburn, Leah Robinson and Sebastian Stott, all 11, for the Nelson Ladies Choir, Margaret Bainbridge for the Pendle Youth Choir and Diana Shaw for the Pendle Children’s Choir.

Music was written by Charlie Clough, a former youth choir accompanist, Sam Hird, a former children’s choir member and now a solo recording artist, and Peter Young, former youth choir conductor and former head of music at Nelson and Colne College.

Pendle Youth Choir conductor David Wilkinson said: “They are all excellent pieces of music and the choirs are looking forward to singing them.”

Concerts have been arranged for January 25, at the Muni, Colne, and March 21, at Pendle Hippodrome.