AN Oxenhope choir is preparing for its festive performances – which will include a new carol written by its pianist.

Rosemary Pettitt penned What Child Is This for the church choir at St Mary's, Oxenhope, where she plays the organ.

And now Oxnop Singers will include the piece in their Christmas programme.

"Music has been my whole life – and I’m still as keen as ever," says Rosemary, a former professional musician who taught music at St Mary’s School, Menston.

"I’m used to composing music – it was an integral part of my degrees years ago – and the melody for the carol flowed when I started to write it, although the words took more time.

"Music runs in my family – my son is a professional oboe player who performs with several orchestras and is also head of music at Cheadle Hulme School."

Oxnop Singers will be performing at the Bay Horse, Oxenhope, on Monday, December 11, at 7.30pm; at Manor Park Care Home, Keighley, on December 13, and on the Haworth Parish Church steps on December 17, at 1.45pm, followed by a set inside the church at 3pm.

The programme will also include a range of classic carols.