A FOLK singer will take over a secret woodland location for a series of campfire shows based around the song of the nightingale.

Mercury prize nominated Sam Lee will be hosting the Singing with Nightingales series starting next month at a secret location in the woods near Lewes.

The events will see attendees invited to a moonlit walk and campfire feast with songs, stories and folklore all linked to the nightingale, one of Britain’s rarest birds known for its beautiful song.

The singer said: “The song of the nightingale has been captivating human hearts and imaginations since ancient times and our Singing with Nightingales events are a way for guests to experience this same timeless magic and a unique connection to the natural world.”

The idea for the sessions came after a string of sell-out performances at the Brighton Festival with the Nightingale Walk on the South Downs.

It also follows his performance of song The Tan Yard Side to the accompaniment of nightingale song, marking the 90th anniversary of the BBC’s first ever broadcast, being highlighted on Radio 4’s Pick of the Year programme.

Sam said: “The early evening will be spent round the campfire, sharing good food, ornithological insights, folk songs and stories about these incredible birds.

“We will all, then, walk deeper into the bird’s habitat, in complete darkness and silence, to experience - in unbelievable, ear-tingling proximity - their exquisite music before I and the guest musicians collaborate, improvise and communicate in the language of song with these unique singers.”

Before Lee became a folk singer he was a wilderness survival expert and once travelled as a student of television survivalist Ray Mears.

His debut album Ground of its Own received a Mercury Prize Album of the Year nomination in 2012 and also won the Froots Critics Poll Best Album of the Year award.

The Singing With Nightingales events are a production by the London-based group The Nest Collective, an award-winning network of musicians and venues founded by the folk singer.

The events start on April 14 and places cost £80, including food and drinks, and are limited to 20 per night.

To book tickets got to thenestcollective.co.uk/shows/singing-with-nightingales-sam-lee.