A TEAM of 80 singers from Taunton had to choose between singing or their supper during a trip to Belgium to honour our war dead.

And their decision to take the musical route ended up costing them £1,400.

The members of Taunton Male Voice Choir got caught up in a strike by French workers at the port of Calais that delayed their ferry from Dover for four hours.

The setback meant they had to choose between having supper they had already paid for in Ypres or singing in the Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate.

The latter won, a decision none of the group regretted as they felt it more important to reflect on the sacrifice of soldiers killed in the First World War.

At the ceremony, choir member Evan Williams laid a wreath as his colleagues sang Morte Christe and 1,000 people stood in silence at the historic monument.

Choir spokesman David Kelly said: "Sadly, the hotel in Ypres still had to make a charge as staff had been hired and food prepared on the day and the choir had to stomp up around £1,400."

During the tour, the choir also visited The Netherlands and took part in a concert in the Alexanderkerk, in Rotterdam, which was organised by their hosts, the Prins Alexander Male Choir, and also featured American soloist Mary Morgan.

There was further singing in Rotterdam's oldest church, Hillegondakerk, and the Oude Kerk, in Delft.

There was also a visit to Maeslantkering, a storm surge barrier that protects Rotterdam and one of the largest moving objects in the world.

A social evening cemented friendships between the two choirs and Taunton’s vice-chairman Stuart Gifford gave thanks in Dutch, made a presentation including Somerset cider and invited the Prins Alexander Male Choir to Taunton.