JUDGES have called the Cottingham Methodist Church Music Festival a huge success.

The event saw hundreds of people of all ages competing in classes ranging from string and harp performances to solo choral singing.

The festival is the biggest in the East Riding and competitors come from all over the county.

Marilynne Davies has been adjudicating Cottingham festival entries since the event's early years.

She said: "It started as a celebration of the church and it's never stopped.

"It's been growing each year."

And Mrs Davies said competitors were as good as ever.

She said: "I've heard some lovely performances from a whole range of age groups all the way from the little eight-year-olds to young adults.

"I see the same people coming back every year."

Mrs Davies said the standard and behaviour of performers made judging entries an enjoyable experience.

She said: "I would always put myself out to come.

"The standard of the Cottingham festival compares very favourably with other festivals I do, and I do about 15 or 16 each year."

She said the competitors were all of a very high standard – but a group of vocal soloists aged 17 to 18 really stood out.

"One class, in which there was not a large number of performers, were very good and if they had gone to any festival, each of them might have won," she said.

The four vocalists were Sarah Penny, Penny Carpenter, Coln Talbot and Julian Purdy.

Sarah, Penny and Coln are all students at Hymers College independent school.

Coln, 17, has a choral scholarship to King's College, Cambridge.

"I had a great time performing," he said.

"It was great to be there to listen to the others and get some useful feedback from the adjudicator."

Sarah, 17, said the festival was always an enjoyable experience.

"The best thing about it was to hear other people at the same sort of level," she said.

"You can pick up good tips for technique."

And the winner, 18-year-old Penny, said years of Cottingham festivals had convinced her to pursue a career in music.

"It was a great opportunity to try out new things and see what people think of them," she said.

"Hopefully, I will go to a conservatoire when I've finished university."