Year 5 children from Alton and the surrounding villages didn’t stop believing in the joy of singing when they took part in the Primary Big Sing at Eggar's School in Holybourne.

Around 260 pupils from Anstey Junior School and Selborne, Bentley, Andrews' Endowed, The Butts, Four Marks and Rowledge primary schools participated in the annual event, which has been growing in popularity every year since it began in 2012.

Two half-hour concerts were arranged for the afternoon to meet the demand from proud parents and grandparents, with more than 100 people attending each performance.

The youngsters arrived at Eggar's at the start of the school day on October 21 and had two 45-minute massed choir rehearsals, either side of a break for drinks and custard creams, followed by a 50-minute rehearsal for the Junior Schools Showcase section of the show.

In this each school sang a song of their choice, with Selborne picking Food Glorious Food, Bentley Cover Me In Sunshine, Andrews’ Count On Me, The Butts When I Grow Up, Four Marks This Is Me, Rowledge Something Just Like This by Coldplay and Anstey Something Inside So Strong by Labi Siffre.

Selborne, Anstey, Rowledge and Andrews’ took to the stage first, followed by The Butts, Four Marks and Bentley. Both concerts saw the Eggar’s Concert Band provide the music for a massed choir performance of Journey's 1981 hit Don't Stop Believin' as the finale.

Eggar’s teacher Emily Thomas, whose role includes helping primary school children make the transition to secondary school, said: "It has been an absolute pleasure to welcome 260 enthusiastic Year 5s to Eggar's today.

“Their amazing performances gave me goosebumps. As our headteacher Sarah Holman said in her welcome, the focus of the day was to spread joy through performing together and that is exactly what those young people achieved!"