'The Farmers' Choir was a great lifter when the fields fell silent'

Share Save Add as preferred on Google Louise Cullen Agriculture and environment correspondent, BBC News NI BBC Mervyn Kelso lost his whole herd to bovine TB When bovine TB led to the loss of his entire herd, dairy farmer Mervyn Kelso struggled with the sadness of the empty fields and the silence of the milking yard.

It was a traumatic time for a man who had farmed his whole life, and it was hard watching his neighbours tend to their cows.

His sister suggested he should join the Farmers' Choir and that turned out to be a "great lifter".

Fast forward four years, and Mervyn has sang for the King, met musical royalty and his choir is up for a national award.

Mervyn's first batch of cows were lost in November 2021. At the same time, a friend who had been around the County Antrim farm for three generations died.