Self-taught musician Michael Levy is reviving the mystical sound of the ancient Jewish Temple lyre - a stringed musical instrument.

Mr Levy, 40, has spent the past three years teaching himself to play the lyre after he bought a replica of the 10-string Kinnor - once played by the Levite musicians in the Temple of Jerusalem in 70 CE.

He began broadcasting his music on YouTube and received requests from more than 1,000 subscribers to compile an album. And he has recently released exactly that: King David's Lyre; Echoes of Ancient Israel - a combination of Klezmer arrangements, traditional Jewish and Shabbat Songs.

Tracks include The Music of Moses, Shalom Chavarim and Ose Shalom. "It has enabled me to get in touch with my ancient Levi routes," Manchester-based Mr Levy tells People. "The lyre is such a simple instrument. There are only ten strings but you can get such sounds out of it. When you play it, you feel like you are being transformed to another realm." He adds: "The Kinnor was the actual harp of King David, and also of my very own, very ancient Levite ancestors, who once played their Kinnors to accompany the legendary singing of the Levitical Choir, in the Temple of Jerusalem."

Mr Levy, also a support worker for adults with learning disabilities, intends to release the CD both in the UK and America.