THE work and achievements of an extraordinary husband-and-wife team who set up house at 100 High Street, Alton, nearly 70 years ago will be acknowledged as part of a special concert this weekend.

Arriving in town in 1949, and carrying on their research into children’s words and ways for the next 10 years, Peter and Iona Opie produced a book which would attract the attention of parents, teachers and students throughout the English-speaking world and quickly become a classic in the study of child behaviour and communication.

Their Lore and Language of Schoolchildren sold many thousands of copies in several editions and was followed by a string of classics in their field, including the popular Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes and The Singing Game, a study of street and playground games and songs.

An early spring concert in aid of Bushy Leaze Children and Families Centre will include an item featuring music for and about children in recognition of the centenary, later this year, of Peter Opie’s birth.

The concert is at Alton Methodist Church on Saturday at 7.30pm. Tickets, priced £10 for adults and £5 for children, are available from Waterstone’s on Alton High Street or on the door.