IN the darkened Hexham Abbey, choirs lit up the night in celebration of Sankta Lucia last week.

The Sankta Lucia choir, made up of seven musicians from Sweden, joined up with Hexham Abbey Girls’ Choir to take part in the event which celebrates the triumph of light over the winter darkness.

It is the third time the Abbey has celebrated the Swedish festival to around 500 audience members and was the idea of voluntary group, Nordic Voices, which arranged the event.

Nordic Voices’ member David Ratcliff said: “As a group we aim to be a vehicle for links which existed between Nordic countries and the North-East. Over the past three years, the Sankta Lucia event, which is supported by the Northumberland County Council cultural fund, has become our flagship.

“What’s incredible about the performance is that these are children of only around nine years old, who are singing songs in a different language on memory. I’m absolutely in awe of those children.

“The event is about sharing different cultures, and learning from one another, as well as building up professional and confidence trust between the choirs.

“The Sankta Lucia Choir love Hexham to bits, which is why they keep returning year on year.”

The Sankta Lucia Choir also performed at to residents at The Manors care home in Prudhoe, where they sang alongside school children from the neighbouring Adderlane Academy. The event was sponsored by Prudhoe-based tissue company, Essity.