PUPILS from two Fylde Coast schools sang out in celebration of the Millennium on Monday (Nov 8).

Thames County Primary School and Hodgson High School choirs performed their Millennium songs together with 11 other successful entrants in the Voices of Promise competition at Pembroke Hall, Salford.

The two schools were shortlisted to appear in the regional final in June, both narrowly missing out on being selected to feature on a special Voices of Promise Christmas CD collection and sing their songs at the Millennium Dome.

But the schools were selected to feature in the North West concert, one of 15 regional concerts staged this and next month featuring the best of the rest from over 7,000 initial entrants.

Hodgson High School performed their entry, Promises for the Children, written by 12-year-old Daniel Fard.

Spokesman for the school Bill Allison said: "The school is tremendously proud. After winning through the initial stages each school was given a professional songwriter and we pay thanks to our help from Andrew Titcombe.

"But we are especially pleased for our songwriter, Daniel. His Millennium celebrations started a bit early.

"For a young songwriter to have his song performed in a top-class auditorium must be extremely pleasing."

Thames County Primary School also performed their entry, This Is Our Time, written by pupils Juliette Gauthier and Christopher Taylor, assisted by teachers Marion Meaney and Julie Lomas. Marion said: "The night was absolutely wonderful and I was tremendously proud.

"I thought our song was good when we first entered it, but to get this far from 7,000 entrants was superb."

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