A Suffolk cellist has completed a unique circuit of concerts in more than 500 medieval churches in the county, including many on the Shotley peninsula

Yalda Davis finished off at Orford Church on Saturday, to take her total to 504 churches and chapels after a journey which started in April 2017.

Late in 2018 she visited Wherstead, Stutton, Erwarton and Harkstead, then in February 2019, the strolling musician visited Shotley, Freston, and Woolverstone churches to perform short, intimate concerts, sometimes with just one other person with her.

Among her playlist were movements of the Bach G major Viola da Gamba sonata, the first movement of the Francoeur sonata and a couple of her favourite Irish Airs.

*(Watch video above)

Initially Yalda, aged 41, had aimed to play at just 440 churches for charities including The Suffolk Historic Churches Trust (SHCT) which provides grants towards the repair and maintenance of these wonderful buildings.

The Churches Conservation Trust (CCT) (fundraising for their Suffolk churches only) who take care of 20 of Suffolk's redundant churches; and

The Suffolk Wildlife Trust (SWT), who support and advise on the large number of churchyard wildlife sanctuaries, as well as working to keep the rest of the county's wildlife and wild spaces alive and well.

Yalda, whose father was the distinguished conductor, the late Sir Colin Davis, the former principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, and Director Music at the Royal Opera House.

He proved to be quite an inspiration for her tour when she found a large number of church guides from around the county of Suffolk, following his death, which she and on his book shelves and she had no memory of visiting with him, as she had been so young.

Yalda's first church concert in Suffolk was at Wattisham at the age of 13, playing the Schubert string quintet with all but one of her siblings.

She is currently shy of her target of £1,000 for her three chosen charities, but you can find more info from Yalda's site www.crosswaysfarm.co.uk and the link to her JustGiving page.