MORE than 100 business people swapped office chairs for pews to sing out the glad tidings of Christmas. Bosses and staff from many local firms attended the fourth annual carol service for the business community, held in All Saints Church, Maidstone.

The chamber choir of Maidstone Girls Grammar School, directed by Robert Chapman, led the singing. Rhiannon Johnson opened the service with the first verse of Once in Royal David's City. Elaine Tate sang a beautiful solo during the choir carol A Hymn to the Virgin.

Cllr Pat Marshall, the Mayor of Maidstone, Tony Hillier, manager of Hillreed Homes, and Adrian Binmore, of solicitors Gulland and Gulland, read lessons. The service, led by Canon Christopher Morgan-Jones, was followed by mulled wine and mince pies.

Cllr Marshall said it was a wonderful occasion. "The business community misses out on a lot of carol services, particularly if they are commuters," she said.

Organiser Robert Martine, of Clokes Surveyors, said. "Although it's for business people, the service aims to help them forget business for a little while and just come along and participate in the joys of the nativity and Christmas."

A collection was shared equally between Demelza House children's hospice and the church restoration fund.