A CHORAL singer from York celebrated her 75th birthday with her singing buddies after spending more than 60 years with the same choir.

Pat Adams, who turned 75 earlier this month, started singing with the York Priory Ladies’ Choir in 1953 when she was only 15 years old, and has seen many changes in the city, and the choir itself, since then.

Pat, who lives in Haxby Road, said: “I always liked singing, so I was hoping I could carry it on. I didn’t really think I would still be doing it 60 years down the line.

“I started at 15 years old as I was leaving Burton Stone Lane School. The music teacher sent six of us for auditions and we all got in. They all dropped out over the years, though.

“When I started, it was the York Old Priory Choir, and it was mixed, so I have seen a lot of changes. In the 1980s the men seemed to dwindle off, so to keep the choir going, we made it into a ladies’ choir.”

Pat, who was chair of the choir for five years in the late 1990s, works two mornings each week at the Minster Stone Yard office, where she has worked since 1984, but still looks forward to meeting the choir, which formed in 1897, for practice.

She said: “We play concerts and for charity, churches, anyone who wishes to listen.

“I couldn’t tell you how much I have helped raise, but we have sung for different charities over the years and sung at different old people’s homes over the years, too.

“It’s really helped me through all the years.

“It’s been something different to the house and everything it’s a sense of belonging. I have made a lot of good friends along the way.

“They baked me a cake to present it to me to celebrate 60 years in the choir, which was lovely.”

Choir president Kathy Pickard said: “In 1997 Pat was the chairman when our choir celebrated its 100th anniversary.

“We sang in a concert and she organised a new set of uniform for the choir.

“Pat has always sung contralto which, those in the know will appreciate, is a difficult part to sing as it is against the more familiar tune of the melody.

“Pat deserves a pat on the back. To sum up this quiet and unassuming lady, I can think of no better word than loyal to the core.”