A GROUP of Russian singers will take to the stage in the Ribble Valley later this year - thanks to computer technology.

The St Petersburg Singers have booked a date at Trinity Methodist Church, Clitheroe, on October 2.

It was arranged completely by e-mail, after the group's tour director Elena Smirnova found the church's website while looking for suitable venues.

Elena sent an e-mail to the church on a Monday, a church meeting gave the go-ahead on the Tuesday and the provisional booking was made on the Wednesday.

Thee concert programme will include a selection of Russian hymns and traditional folk songs.

Dennis Ogden, the church's publicity and press officer, said: "The tour is run on a hospitality bases so they asked me to write to the British Embassy in St Petersburg giving the names of the singers so that visa formalities could be completed.

"We will have a collection on the night to help with their expenses and they will stay with local people."

Dennis also used e-mail to contact people who had hosted the singers on a previous tour, in 1998.

Now he is hoping to track down Russian or German speakers in Clitheroe as only a few members of the group speak English.

He is also helping the group find suitable venues for two vacant dates on the tour.

The group is due to sing in Staincross, near Barnsley, on October 11, and in Darlington on October 14.

Anyone interested in booking them for the October 12 or 13 at venues within an hour or two from these locations should contact Dennis by e-mail on dennis.ogden@virgin.net.

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