Leicester Cathedral's choir has been able to perform together for the first time since the pandemic.

It comes after the University of Loughborough donated spare covd-19 tests left over from the mass testing of university students in the lead-up to Christmas. 

Vice-Chancellor of Loughborough University, Professor Robert Allison said: "We were delighted to put our Covid-testing facility to good use in the wider community as our university serves our city and county."

"This year it felt even more important that the cathedral choir were able to sing and help raise the spirits of so many," he added. 

The choir comprises 35 choristers that performed to a socially distanced congregation that could not join them in singing. 

Leicester Cathedral thanked the university for donating the tests on Twitter. 

"Good to hear all our singers for today's services, have all had negative results from their rapid Covid test.   This wouldn't have been possible without the wonderful gift from @lborouniversity, lots of work from staff and volunteers and the singers for being patient today."

https://twitter.com/LeicsCathedral/status/1340653837804298241 

David Monteith, Dean of Leicester Cathedral, described getting the tests as "a gift that dropped from the heavens to us, just a bit like the Christmas story itself in a sense."

The Cathedral's choir will be in isolation bubbles until they perform again on 25th December in a Christmas service that will be held in the building and live-streamed on social media.