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Hospital radio station Ysbyty Ystrad FM has revealed the winner of its first Christmas Choir Competition.

Thirteen choirs from across our community were involved with more than 6,000 votes cast.

The top three were then judged by a panel consisting of Hengoed councillor Teresa Parry, hospital Chaplain Jonathan Forman, and Caerphilly Observer editor Richard Gurner.

After much deliberation, the winner was Ystrad Mynach-based choir The Melody Makers, with its rendition of Mariah Carey hit All I Want for Christmas.

Steven Davies, founder at YYFM said: “I am thrilled at the response received to this competition. It is the first time that we have hosted a competition like this and I envisage this growing even bigger by next year

“A thank you to all the choirs who have submitted an entry. By doing this, choirs are contributing to our service of providing music to in-patients at Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr and to the local community around Ystrad Mynach and beyond.”

Melody Makers said: “Thank you to everyone who voted, thank you to the judges and thank you to Ysbyty Ystrad FM for running the competition! Our founder Lyn Cushing wanted to create a choir that was community- focused, inclusive and most of all fun. And we think our version of All I Want for Christmas encompassed all of this.

“Thanks to our soloist Lisa Ann Davies and our Musical Director Charlotte Ashworth.”

You can listen to all of the competition entries on the YYFM website.