RICHARD Brierly has performed more than 6,000 hymns at 1,500 services as the church organist in Grosmont.
Mr Brierly, 58, is celebrating 30 years of service to St Nicholas’ Church.
The village sub-postmaster began playing the Church organ in 1981 but his passion for music was evident at the age of five when he would listen to his mother’s classical records.
Several years later Church organist, the late Mrs Martha Meyer, heard him playing a stylophone given to him by his late-father Roy and set about teaching him to play the piano, progressing to the organ.
When she retired he became the church organist.
"At the beginning I would play at the occasional service," he said.
"I was a bit nervous but Rector Bill McAdam allowed me to chose the hymns and I have been playing at services ever since," said Mr Brierly.
"I didn’t think I would still be playing three decades later but enjoy it and intend to continue," he added.
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