Peel witnessed a Norwegian invasion last weekend, on a scale not seen since the times of the Vikings.

Thankfully, though, the amassed members of the Norges Kirkesangforbund, or the Norwegian Church Choir Association, had slightly more peaceful intentions than their predecessors.

More than 200 visiting singers from Norway filled Peel Cathedral with song, joining the Peel Cathedral choir for evensong choir on Sunday evening, before holding a performance of their own.

The visiting choristers were taken from seven different Norwegian choirs, who hailed from the northern city of Narvik , Stavanger in the south, and from Bergen and Asker in between.

Each choir gave their own performances, before joining together, under the directorship of the Peel Cathedral organist Dr Peter Litman, for a concert that featured a range of music.

’The music performed ranged from Negro spiritual, Norwegian folk melodies to church music repertoire including Palestrina to John Rutter’, said Dr Litman.

’Norwegian composers were also represented, in addition to recently-composed music by Robert Coates, who has been working as a church musician in Norway for the past four decades, but who grew up in Ramsey and was a music scholar at King William’s College.’

The visiting choirs also spent Sunday morning visiting and singing in local churches in Laxey, Marown and Ramsey.