SINGING in a choir can boost mental health, an Oxford Brookes study has revealed.

An online survey of 375 choral singers, individual singers and team sports players was carried out. Choristers experienced the greatest benefit out of the three activities.

They viewed their choirs as more coherent or meaningful compared with the way sports players regarded their teams.

Study leader Nick Stewart, of Oxford Brookes, presented the findings at the annual meeting of the British Psychological Society’s Division of Clinical Psychology in York.