I do like to play by the seaside

Janice Prestidge, of Timaru, plays a melody to beachgoers and gulls at the Esplanade at St Clair yesterday.

Mrs Prestidge serenaded the public with her friend Adrian Mann, of Dunedin.

Mr Mann, who owns Alexander Pianos, restored the fire-engine-red instrument.

The pair were inspired to play for the public after attending the Royal Dunedin Male Choir on Sunday.

``It was just such a good concert I said to Janice, we should busk one day.''

While Mrs Prestidge initially thought she was ``far too old to busk'', taking the piano outdoors had been ``really quite a lot of fun''.

Some of the public appeared moved by the songs which were mainly 1920s and 1930s numbers, she said.

``One woman came and gave me a big hug because her mother and father used to listen to this music.''