SWEET music was in the air yesterday as a group of Essex-based musicians raised cash for a diabetes charity.

Elliot Furniss

SWEET music was in the air yesterday as a group of Essex-based musicians raised cash for a diabetes charity.

Chalumeau Plus, a classical quartet featuring soprano Valerie James, performed a selection of songs with a sugary theme to an enchanted audience of friends, family and fellow musicians.

The concert took place at Mrs James' home in West Mersea yesterday afternoon and money raised will be donated to Diabetes UK.

Mrs James, who also prepared special sugar-free treats for audience members, said the group hold several concerts a year to raise funds for various different charities.

She said: “(Violinist) Beverley Warrington's husband is diabetic and so are several other people we know and as the last concert we did was for a friend suffering from multiple sclerosis, we thought that for this one we would have it for diabetes.

“The theme is 'Sweetness' and all the titles have the word 'sweet' or 'honey' in them - or are from a suite.”

The group were hoping to raise up to £200 from the event.

Mrs James's husband Ronald and pianist Beryl Humphreys make up the group, who performed pieces including Sweet Nightingale, Swing Low Sweet Chariot and Ain't She Sweet.