A CHURCH is pulling out all the stops to boost its organ appeal by staging a major concert.

Leading Russian organist Ekaterina Melnikova will be accompanying Bedale Festival Choir in a performance of Handel's Messiah at the town's St Gregory's Church, next Saturday.

The 7pm concert, for which tickets are £8, is in aid of the £25,000 appeal to update the organ at St Gregory's.

More than 100 people will sing at the concert but anyone else wishing to take part can attend a rehearsal at 1pm on the day, taking along a copy of the music if they have one and a £5 fee.

Trumpets and timpani will be played by musicians from the Orichalcum Classic Brass.

Miss Melnikova, who lives in North Yorkshire, first appeared at St Gregory's last month at the start of a series of concerts by leading musicians.