A CHURCH organist and choirmaster from Okehampton is this month celebrating six decades of music making in the town.

Ian Cann began playing at All Saints Church in Okehampton in 1951, under the Rev Compton, and has served six incumbents during his 60-year playing career.

In 2001, Ian was awarded the Royal School of Church Music's certificate of special service in recognition of his contribution to church music.

Ian began playing the organ while a pupil at Newton Abbott Grammar School during the war years, and was inspired by the school's head of music, a renowned organist at St Mary the Virgin Church, Abbotsbury.

Trained as an architect and planner, Ian has always had a deep interest in, and love for, the historic buildings and villages of his native Devon. He retired from West Devon Borough Council in 1992, after almost half a century of service as a planning and conservation officer.

Retirement afforded Ian more time to enjoy his great love of organ and choral music, both at All Saints and in Devon generally.

He said: 'I'm 83 now, and so I'm trying to ease off my church responsibilities a little, taking a less active role in playing at some services.

'The choir at All Saints is, however, something I still very much want to be a part of. Choral music is an Anglican tradition that is so important, yet I feel that in many places it is gradually being lost.

'The choral tradition in Okehampton goes back around 150 years, and as long as I can play well and can train the choir I want to make sure that tradition does not die in Okehampton.'

All Saints also has a proud history of long-serving organists, and Mr Cann and his predecessor, Mr Sydenham Janes, have between them contributed more than 120 years of music-making at the church.

Ian hopes somebody will come forward to ensure this proud tradition can continue.

'If nobody is found to take over my role, I fear organ playing at All Saints will probably wind down and eventually will be substituted by a piano, which would be an awful shame in musical terms.

'If you are fascinated by 'the king of instruments', there is nothing like it. It's kept me going for the last 60 years, and I feel I could go on indefinitely. It's a wonderful instrument.'

All Saints has a robed senior choir, as well as a junior choir. The senior choir sings a range of beautiful choral church music from all centuries, mainly at evensong every Sunday.

The choir meets at the church on Thursdays at 7.15pm, and membership is open to all.