A GROUP of carol singers raised more than £1,300 for an Air Ambulance charity after a member was rescued.

The Occasionals, a group of friends and family drawn from folk, cathedral and church backgrounds, perform in pubs and hotels across East Lancashire to raise money for North West Air Ambulance.

Group member Virginia Crewe said the group of friends started carol singing to raise money for various charities more than 30 years ago.

She said their style is loosely choral based, with some folk carols and some better known carols characterised by a cappella harmony singing.

The group, which is made up of members of all ages, rehearses in early December before commencing a tour of local pubs, hostelries and restaurants collecting money for their chosen charity of the year.

Ms Crewe said: "We have raised quite a bit of money in this time but this year was our best ever.

"After two short practices, we sang in 10 pubs and restaurants Colne on December 22 and raised £636 55.

"On Christmas Eve we sang around 10 Pendleside pubs raising £746.16 giving us a total £1382.71.

"There were 30 of us involved and we sang mostly in harmony with the occasional descants.

"We raised the money this year for North West Air Ambulance as one of our singers was lifted off Pendle by their team a while ago."