A COMMUNITY choir set up two years ago to bring together people with a lifelong love of singing has been given a much-needed financial boost.

Allegria have received nearly £1,000 from the Inverclyde Council community grants pot - though the sum awarded is less than a quarter of what they'd applied for.

The funding will help towards rehearsal space and other costs as they look to put on performances.

The choir lined up Reely Jiggered's Alison McNeil as a conductor for their performance at Christmas, when they performed songs from classics such as West Side Story.

Allegria rehearse weekly on a Tuesday in Old Gourock and Ashton Church.

The authority's grants sub-committee met recently to award grants to community groups and organisations from a pot of £250,000.

The choir was among 100 applicants to the fund, and had originally applied for £4,500. 

The fund was massively over-subscribed, with applications totalling more than £850,000.