It's Beethoven on the ukelele, by George

Anyone trying to get in touch with their inner George Formby is being invited to take up the ukelele and join a mass rendition of Beethoven's Ode To Joy.

The Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain has filmed seven online tutorials to give everyone the chance to play the piece at its debut Proms concert in August.

The London-based ensemble hopes thousands will take up the challenge and beat their previous record of 200 in Japan and Sweden.

The online classes explain how to play a simplified version of the Ode - the final movement of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.

George Hinchcliffe, the orchestra's director, who has played the ukelele since he was eight, said: "It's reasonably easy to get the first steps.

"The Proms are great for making music accessible, as is the ukelele due to it being cheap and portable."

His orchestra was founded in 1985 and still has four of the original members.

It plays a wide-ranging programme including Jerusalem, Ride Of The Valkyries and hits by The Who and Sex Pistols.