A long-serving chorister has been honoured for serving 45 years as a choir member.

Mike Burke has been singing in Marlow’s All Saints’ Church Choir since 1973, after he heard Gregorio Allegri’s Miserere on Ash Wednesday that year.

The 77-year-old said: “I thought it was a wonderful sound and afterwards I told the choir how much I enjoyed it, and they asked me if I would like to join – I said yes.

“I used to really enjoy going to All Saints Church and listening to the choir anyway. I have never looked back since.”

Members of the choir surprised Mr Burke with a commemorative plate to mark the milestone.

Mr Burke said: “It’s a good friendly crew. We all have quite a lot to talk about after the singing.”

“I wasn’t expecting the award. It was very good of them.”

Mr Burke’s two granddaughters are also a part of the choir, with the older one chosen to be head girl of the senior girls’ choir.

He said it was “nice” that the pair were following in his footsteps, adding that he was not planning to retire “anytime soon”.