Local sea shanty singers Mariners Away raised a total of £1,200 at their latest concert which will go towards the refurbishment of Okehampton’s church hall.

Eighty people gathered at All Saints Church recently to hear the band perform traditional sea shanties, work songs and new numbers penned by the group’s musical arranger Trevor Munkenbeck including one revealing the group’s lack of expertise at seamanship.

They more than made up for this deficiency with their music and anecdotes, playing two sets punctuated by supper and visits to the bar.

The group have been playing for over 15 years and have performed at various festivals and events all over the country. They have even featured on BBC Spotlight. Despite their growing fame, they continue to support various local causes and at the end of last year raised thousands of pounds for the RD&E charity to thank the hospital for the life-saving treatment several band members previously received.