Leeds children in world's biggest singalong
Little 'angels' from across Leeds sang their hearts out as part of the world's biggest singalong.
Youngsters from 25 schools in the city hit the high notes as the world record for the most people singing the same song simultaneously was smashed.
The happy harmonising in Leeds was all part of the Big Sing event, in which an estimated 500,000 children across the UK joined soul star Des'ree in belting out her uplifting hit, You Gotta Be, with the singer leading the world's biggest choir from the O2 arena stage in London.
The previous world record was 290,000 people singing together, set in 2005.
Among the winning warblers were nearly 400 youngsters from Five Lanes Primary School in Wortley, west Leeds.
Headteacher Jo Fiddes said: "They were just brilliant and they sang like angels. It made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
"There's nothing like children singing and when they are singing a song that's got such a great message it's even better."
Thousands of youngsters spent the last month practising in their classrooms with their teachers to get their Big Sing contributions pitch perfect.
Other Leeds schools taking part included all seven schools in Garforth's Schools Partnership Trust: East Garforth, Strawberry Fields, Ninelands, St Benedict's, Green Lane and Micklefield primary schools, and Garforth Community College.
Charlotte Evans, head of music at Garforth Community College, said the students had "tremendous fun" taking part in the singing challenge, and an estimated 1,000 youngsters from the area had joined in.
The 2008 Big Sing was the third event of its kind, with previous concerts held in 2002 and 2005.
The 2005 Big Sing choir was led by singing stars Joss Stone, Lemar and Ms Dynamite. They performed live from the Royal Albert Hall and along with over 290.000 children helped to break the then record for the largest simultaneous singalong, raising £143,000 for charity.
The total raised from this year's event is still being totted up.
Proceeds will go the CLIC Sargent and Marie Curie cancer charities as well as Youth Music, which supports music-making activities for some of the UK's most disadvantaged young people.
Posted: Tuesday, December 02, 2008
« Back