Choir sings on top of Cambridge tower in 120-year-old tradition

The choir have to scale the 198 steps on the spiral staircase to get to the top of St John's College Chapel

A choir has sung on the top of a 163ft (50m) tower to mark Ascension Day in a tradition that dates back to 1902.

The rooftop performance at of St John's College Chapel in Cambridge was the first since the pandemic.

It was also the first time girls sang with the choir in its rendition the Ascension Day carol.

Director Andrew Nethsingha described it as a "big moment for the history of the choir", which was founded at the college in the 1670s.

The St John's choir performs on the top of the chapel's tower to mark Ascension Day

Ascension Day celebrates the Christian belief in the Ascension of Jesus into heaven, 40 days after his resurrection at Easter.

The tradition of singing on the rooftop of St John's College Chapel began after Sir Joseph Larmor, a fellow, claimed in conversation with composer Cyril Rootham that a choir singing on top of the tower would not be heard on the ground.

Mr Rootham proved Sir Joseph wrong after arranging for a choir to climb to the rooftop and sing without telling anyone.

Girls sung with the choir for the first time this year

The choir admitted girls for the first time last month.

Mr Nethsingha said the choir was "currently the only Oxbridge choir to have both male and female singers amongst the children and also amongst the students".

Choristers are between eight and 13 years old, with adult choral scholars aged 18 and older, all rehearsing before school five mornings per week.

They also sing six services in the chapel each week, five in the early evening and one on Sunday mornings.

The choir has played a formative role in the careers of many musicians, its director said