IT’S an annual celebration that’s become something of a tradition.

And for this year’s Winchester Cathedral choristers it was the best year yet as they glided and swooshed across the ice at the Inner Close.

Pilgrims School boys gave their angelic vocal chords the morning off to whizz around the rink, dressed in their iconic red robes with ruffs at the ready.

Hampshire Chronicle:

For one pupil it was a pinnacle moment.

Treble singer Henry Liu, 11, had never skated until three days before. He’d been busy practicing in the lead up to that morning but said he was still nervous because of how slippery the ice was.

Wednesday night saw the rink covered in a thin sliver of rain which had not frozen due to this year’s mild weather.

Hampshire Chronicle:

Though several of the boys slipped and fell it didn’t dampen their fun.

“I’d never thought I’d have to go on the ice,” Henry said. “I just love Christmas and, though I don’t believe in Santa, it does give a general cheer and Christmas would be rather dark without all this because it’s all cold and no one wants to be inside when this is here.

“I think I’ll stick to the singing for now!”