Tributes have been paid to an influential community leader for west Dorset - with a concert to be performed in her honour.

Lyme Bay Chorale is set to dedicate this year's Christmas concert to the choir's founder and former director Ruth Taylor, who died on Saturday, November 13 at the age of 86.

She founded the Lyme Bay Chorale in the year 2000 and was its musical director until 2007 before she and her husband - former vicar Norman Taylor - moved from Lyme Regis to Ampleforth, North Yorkshire in 2009.

Friend and choir member, Olivia Daly said: "She was a wonderful lady with a great passion for singing and a talent for bringing people together.

"Ruth was a musician who played the piano and taught singing and founded Lyme Bay Chorale.

"She made the choir it into the established organisation it is today. She put everything in place and created the group's embedded ethos of musical excellence.

"So now, our upcoming concert will be dedicated to her."

The performance will get off to a rousing start with Zadok the Priest by Handel, followed by a varied programme including Missa Sancti Nicolai by Haydn, Fauré’s beautiful Cantique de Jean Racine, and a jolly arrangement of Ding! Dong! Merrily on High by Mack Willberg. There will also be a couple of traditional carols.

The choir’s musical director, Alex Davies will conduct and Andrew Millington, formerly director of music at Exeter Cathedral, will play the organ.

The choir has started singing together again this season after an 18-month break due to the pandemic. On Remembrance Sunday they put on a free performance of Fauré’s Requiem in St Michael’s - raising £560 for the Royal British Legion thanks to donations from generous listeners.

The Lyme Bay Chorale Christmas concert is set to take place on Sunday, December 12 at 4pm in St Michael’s Church, Lyme Regis.

Tickets for the Christmas concert are £15 on the door and £13 in advance from Fortnum Smith & Banwell in Lyme Regis (cash sales only). There’s no charge for young people aged 18 and under.

Covid safety measures, including social distancing, will be in place at the concert.