MORE than 200 singers from around the world will bring harmony to Bolton this weekend.

Choirs from as far as Canada and Australia have flown into the UK to take part in the All Britain Festival of Male Voice Praise.

The celebration of gospel and evangelical music will hold its eighth event in the Victoria Hall this Saturday.

It will see 250 voices join in harmony on the historic hall’s stage.

Joining them will be members of the Bolton Male Voice Praise choir.

Festival secretary and co-founder of the Bolton choir, Mike Dewhurst, will be conducting at the event.

the 72-year-old from Horwich, said: “There are 25 choirs involved coming from all over the world, places like Melbourne, Brisbane and Tasmania.

“It is fantastic, absolutely fantastic.

“Normally the event is held in places like London, Bristol, and the last one was in Glasgow. It is a special gathering which only happens every so often.

“The Victoria Hall is an ideal location for the concert so I invited the choirs here and it was agreed.

“ I have conducted at the event before but I’m looking forward to doing it in my home town.

“We are hoping the event will put Bolton on the map and it will be really good for the town!”

The Bolton choir was founded back in 1964 and is part of the North West Area of the Male Voice of Praise choirs movement and has held an area festival in Bolton for the last 38 years.

It used to welcome more than 30 members, however members have dropped over the years and it is hoped this weekend’s event will help drum up interest for them again.

Tickets are available on the door for £5, with the concert starting at 6.30pm. It will be followed on Sunday by an afternoon by a church service.