A HARMONIOUS group of singing sensations from Bolton has clinched its sixth national accolade.

The Cottontown Chorus has sung its way to representing Great Britain's Barbershop choruses on the world stage.

Over the Bank Holiday weekend, the chorus won the British Association of Barbershop Singers Convention 'Sing 2016' competition against 30 groups from around the UK.

It is the sixth time the 60-plus-strong group has come out top in the competition held at the Harrogate Convention Centre.

They can now go on to perform at the World Championships in Las Vegas, America, next summer.

Secretary David Kitchenham said: "We do it all for the entertainment and singing but we are very happy to show we are Bolton's best as well.

"One of the issues we have is that it is coming up to nearly 40 years of us singing in Bolton and we are like one of its best kept secrets!

"Lots of wonderful things come out of Bolton and among them are these 66 talented guys all singing their hearts out."

The chorus meets every Tuesday, from 7.30pm to 10pm, at Turton High School in Bromley Cross Road.

Its repertoire features a lively mix of anything from traditional barbershop style, to Michael Jackson, Meatloaf, Edith Piaf and James Bond themes.

Barbershop began in Bolton back in 1979, with The Four Strops, a quartet of four men from a local church choir.

It later developed in Bolton Harmony Club (BHC) and made it into its first Barbershop convention in 1986 and finally clinched the British title in 2005, going on to sing in the internationals in Indianapolis.

The group has won the national titles five more times and, such is its popularity, it attracts members from as far as Shap in Cumbria, Shropshire and Telford.

They also perform locally and raises funds for a nominated charity each year.

To find out more visit www.cottontownchorus.co.uk