YOUNG African voices rang out at a Bromsgrove church as they sang in the main service on Sunday morning.

The Malawian Youth Choir visited Holy Trinity Church, in Rosehill, Lickey, as part of an exchange visit. Around 150 parishioners went to the service to hear the 24-strong choir, made up of ages from 14 to mid-twenties, from the city of Blantyre in Malawi.

Vicar, the Rev Philip Swan, said it was a very moving experience and some members of the choir told tales of their hard lives in one of Africa's poorest countries.

"It's very moving seeing things through their eyes and listening to their stories," he said. "They said they'd enjoyed their visit and had a great day with us."

Many parishioners stayed on after the service at a special pig roast event to talk to the choir, which was invited by the Diocese of Birmingham for a three-week tour.

Lickey parish is actively involved in the Youth Exchange visit and also raised £4,000 recently to buy two motorbikes. Mr Swan spent a month in the country with his wife and two children in 2002 where he got to know first-hand the problems the people face. He said the parish was supporting the Make Poverty History campaign and it was good timing that the choir had arrived shortly before the G8 Summit in Edinburgh to give the parish a chance to increase its commitment to the cause.

"They inspire great respect and it's a humbling experience," he said. "They have to go back to their daily struggle, but they still sing with vibrancy and passion."