A BOURNEMOUTH man has been singing in the same choir for 75 years.

Cyril Kennedy, 85, joined St Andrew’s Church in Boscombe, as a 10-year-old choir boy because he preferred it to his family’s staunch Salvation Army roots.

And he hasn’t looked back – going on to perform at the Royal Albert Hall and becoming friends with Sir Horace Wilson.

Mr Kennedy, of Keswick Road, said: “One day I decided being in the Salvation Army junior band and the choral group wasn’t for me and that I would go and sing in a Church of England choir.

“I marched on my own to St Andrew’s and saw the choirmaster. He said I had to audition, I asked if I could have it there and then and I’ve been here ever since.”

He kept singing throughout his career as a regional managing director for Travis Perkins.

The dad-of-two remembers late wife June pushing their children’s prams all the way from their former home in Muscliffe Lane to the church, in Florence Road, for services.

Mr Kennedy, who sings bass, added: “I have loved it, it has been me and I’ve enjoyed it,”

He has sung at the Royal Albert Hall Christmas service with other groups that he met through the St Andrew’s choir. Former member Sir Horace Wilson, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s former secretary, would invite Mr Kennedy around to tea at his house and once lent him his beach hut for two weeks.

There are now 14 choir members, supported by an organist.

“At the end of World War Two they got rid of choir boys,” Mr Kennedy said.

“Not much has changed, although when I was church warden we built an upper room.

“But back when I joined all the pews were full.”

• IS Cyril the country’s longest serving chorister?

It seems he’s been out done by a Reverend in Derbyshire.

The National Association of Choirs’ general secretary, Lord James Ferrabbee, said: “Reg is 109 and has been singing with the choir for 90 odd years.

“There are three generations in that particular choir, and Reg was one of the founding members. He is one of the oldest still singing choir members in the country.”