The highlight of celebrations to mark the 12 days of Christmas at a care home in Horncastle was a visit from a piper.

The long-standing Tanglewood home on Louth Road decided to hold a group activity for residents to mirror the themes of the famous festive song.

So, to name just a few, they made pears and French hens in an arts and crafts session, they had quizzes on turtle doves and the life-cycle of geese-a-laying, and they learned about the history and practices of maids-a-milking.

They even staged a seated disco and bounced ping-pong ball ‘lords’ into a cardboard castle.

Kathryn Johnstone, of Kjmusic.uk, visits Tanglewood Care Home in Horncastle to play the bagpipes for residents.

But the best activity of the lot was was reserved for the 11th day of Christmas when the theme was 11 pipers piping. Tanglewood couldn’t quite afford the full 11, but members of the home’s activities team did manage to find one real-life piper piping!

She was Kathryn Johnstone, owner of the folk music group, Kjmusic.uk, based in Whittlesey in Cambridgeshire.

She has been playing the bagpipes since the age of ten and she popped along to the 54-bed care home to entertain residents with a string of tunes.

Manager Alice O’Hare said: “Kathryn played beautifully for us. She began with a blast of ‘Jingle Bells’, played outside our four semi-contained bungalows, and brought the residents to their doors to dance a jig on the front pathway.

A piper entertains residents of Tanglewood Care Home in Horncastle to complete its Christmas celebrations.

"Kathryn then walked around both floors of the building, playing the bagpipes as she went and bringing wide-eyed residents out of their homes in wonder.

"Finally, she treated us to a seated ceilidh in our upstairs lounge, where Kathryn swapped her bagpipes for a melodeon. This was just joyous, with her show including a piece she had written herself.

"She finished back on the pipes for a rousing chorus of ‘Auld Lang Syne’. It was a wonderful experience and really brought melody to the morning.

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"We are hoping that Kathryn will come back and play for us again, maybe for St Patrick’s Day on Monday, March 17.”

Tanglewood, which opened back in 1989, is one of 17 care homes operated by Tanglewood Care Services Ltd. Set in beautiful, landscaped gardens, it prides itself on its comfortable, relaxed and homely surroundings.

After its last Care Quality Commission inspection in 2018, it was rated ‘Good’ in all categories.

On the 11th day of Christmas.........a real piper piping at Horncastle care home!