IT might seem odd, singing Christmas Carols in the middle of July - but that's how the choir of St Mary's Priory Church spent two days this summer.

The result is Born is the King of Israel! a CD of 18 Christmas Carols - a mix of traditional congregational carols and a blend of new and not-so-new carols arranged for the choir. The idea grew out of the success of the annual Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, held on the Sunday before Christmas, when a packed congregation both sing much-loved Carols and listen to the choral contributions.

"We were often asked if we'd thought of recording a CD of Carols," said Tim Pratt, director of music at St Mary's in Abergavenny. "This year we decided to take up the challenge, although it did seem rather odd recording Christmas music in the middle of summer."

The CD, produced by Priory Records, Britain's premier church music label, includes favourites such as Once in Royal David's City and O Little Town of Bethlehem as well as choral works including The Shepherd's Pipe Carol  and  On to Bethlem, translated from Welsh and arranged by Meirion Wyn Jones, a former sub-organist at St Mary's.

The CD retails for £8.50 and is available from St Mary's and the Tithe Barn, Abergavenny, or by sending a postal order or cheque made payable to St Mary's Priory Church, for £10  (to include post and packing) to Christmas Carols, St Mary's Vicarage, Monk Street, Abergavenny NP7 5TB.