A NEW Christmas song commissioned for the Malton Dickensian Festival was recorded at the weekend,

The Song for Malton inspired by Charles Dickens’ classic tale A Christmas Carol will be performed live at the festival on December 18 by the Malton Male Voice Choir and the town’s Harmonia Choir.

On Saturday, a music video and professional recordings were made in St Peter’s Church, Norton, with gospel singer Philippa Hanna, one of the UK’s number one Gospel singers.

Clair Challenor-Chadwick, said: "The cold chill and snow didn’t keep people away. Thank you to the Malton Male Voice Choir and Harmonia for turning up on a chilly winter’s morning on Saturday to take part in a music video recording at St Peter’ Church of a new ‘Christmas Carol’ for Malton."

"There were also solo performances by David Ackroyd of the Malton Male Voice Choir and 10-year-old Rafe Chadwick from Harrogate."

Clair added: "Members of the Charles Dickens Society took part in the music video recording in Dickensian costume and Joan Lawrence, Mayor of Malton attended the recording to show her support."

"Philippa performed the song with the choirs in the church then filmed a music video in Malton on a cold and busy market day."

The ‘Song for Malton’ will be launched on Friday and available on ITUNES and YouTube for download. Funds generated will contribute to the running costs of the Malton Dickensian Festival, which is a charitable arts and education project.

The inaugural festival will feature Dickens-inspired events, including carol singing, themed walks, horse and carriage rides, food stalls, street theatre and lectures.

Organisers are also appealing to shopkeepers and business owners to get into the Christmas spirit and dress their windows and put on their own Dickensian events during the festival.

Headlining the festival is BAFTA-winning Miriam Margolyes, whose one-woman show Dickens’ Women was nominated for an Olivier award.n.”

Dickens’ A Christmas Carol has had a long association with the town, with broadcaster Selina Scott spearheading the campaign in 2012 to return a rare 1844 signed edition of A Christmas Carol to Malton.

The specially-bound edition was commissioned by Charles Dickens for the widow of his great friend, lawyer Charles Smithson.

It is said that Dickens was inspired to base Scrooge’s famous Counting House on Smithson’s Counting House in Malton, now a Dickensian museum and visitor attraction.

The book will be on view throughout the festival, which takes place over the weekends of December 12 and 13 and December 18 and 19. Events will take place at the Counting House, the Milton Rooms, the Talbot Hotel and the Malton Cookery School.

The Christmas Carol will be performed live at The Milton Rooms on December 18 from 5pm at a free festive Carol concert, performed by The Malton Male Voice Choir and the all-female choir - Harmonia. Everybody is welcome

For more information, go to maltondickensianfestival.com