Thousands celebrate Great British Proms at Blickling Hall

They came carrying their deckchairs and rucksacks as if to a social event rather than a live concert.

Eastern Daily Press: Can you spot yourself? The Great British Proms at Blickling Hall. Picture: James Bass Photography Can you spot yourself? The Great British Proms at Blickling Hall. Picture: James Bass Photography (Image: (C)James Bass 2017)

The Great British Proms in the grounds of the National Trust's Blickling Hall is more a family outing than anything else.

People sat around enjoying food and drinks and wearing bowler hats with Union Jacks on them.

Strawberries and cream and glasses of wine were the order of the day with more than 6,000 visitors arriving early to soak up the atmosphere.

It was a special occasion for the Mid-Norfolk Singers based in Dereham, who won a competition to perform live on the stage.

They sang My Spirit Sang All Day by Gerald Finzi, As Torrents in Summer by Elgar and Ride the Chariot, a traditional spiritual.

The singers' chairman Jane Fannon said: 'There were just under 50 of us singing. We would normally have about 70, but it's the summer holidays.

'It's extraordinary to sing in front of so many people. It's completely out of our experience. We do three concerts a year and we normally get about 300 people watching. This was obviously the most people we had sung in front of, and it was a terrific opportunity.'

It may have been a nerve-wracking experience for some of the singers, but the group's musical director Robert Hamwee said: 'It was good and everyone was relaxed.'

Headliners The National Symphony Orchestra, led by Anthony Inglis, got everyone into the Proms spirit with music synonymous with each of the home nations. Danny Boy, Londonderry Air always raises the hairs at the back of the neck.

They were followed by Brit Award-winning Welsh vocal group Only Men Aloud, soprano Annette Wardell, and a fireworks finale.

Joan Wright and Lynne Hall run the Only Men Aloud fan club, OMAniacs, and travelled from Chesterfield. They had the front seats and got to the site at about 5.30pm, two hours before the concert started.

Mrs Wright said: 'We have seen them about 100 times, and went to Chicago and Minneapolis in the US to see them. This is the first time we have come to Blickling and there's a great audience.'

Eastern Daily Press: Jane Fannon and Robert Hamwee from the Mid-Norfolk Singers. Picture: David Bale Jane Fannon and Robert Hamwee from the Mid-Norfolk Singers. Picture: David Bale (Image: Archant)

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