Mr Knowles has been suspended from the post

Keith Knowles, 37, was in charge of the Saint Francis Xavier College Boys' Choir in Liverpool.

The choir sang twice for the previous Pope and were in the charts with the official song for the 2004 European Championships, All Together Now.

Mr Knowles, of Aigburth, denied the charges at Liverpool Magistrates' Court and was bailed to reappear on 5 July.

Choirmaster suspended

He is accused of 15 counts of making and eight counts of possessing indecent photographs.

The choir is listed in the Guinness Book of Records for being the first choir to sing at services in all 49 Anglican cathedrals in England and Wales.

It has toured several countries in the past six years and performed for a private audience at the Vatican in 1999.

Mr Knowles has been suspended from the post since his arrest last December.