FAMILIES gathered at Waverley Abbey Junior School for the “largest ever” Farnham’s Got Talent, sponsored this year by Charters estate agents.

The annual event, organised by Farnham Schools’ Confederation, was first held nine years ago to show off and celebrate local school children’s musical and dancing talents.

Confederation manager Julie Aldridge said: “The show gives Farnham schools a wonderful opportunity to perform, encouraging children from across our community to meet, work together and entertain their families. This year was our largest event ever, with 14 schools participating.”

Judges included David Bole, trumpeter for the Queen, Corporal Sohail Ifraz from the British Army’s Home Command in Aldershot and 18-year-old ventriloquist and entertainer Max Fulham, who won the talent show in 2011, and has recently completed his first season in pantomime.

Some of the participants had been selected to represent their school after winning their school’s talent competition, including eight year old Felix Cowan from Waverley Abbey who performed ‘Naughty’ from the hit musical Matilda.

Other soloists included Freya Bye from William Cobbett who performed ‘Remember Me’ from Disney’s Coco, and Luke Price from Weydon who sang Elton John’s ‘Your Song’, expertly accompanied on the piano by fellow student Saffron Aravena De Carlo.

St Mary’s in Frensham was represented by Elodie Morris who transported the audience to the West End with a song from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Hale School’s Glee Club wowed the audience with their stylish interpretation of ‘This Is Me’ from the recent blockbuster The Greatest Showman, and pupils from The Abbey School impressed with their performance of ‘The Eye of the Tiger’.

Highfield South Farnham pupils gave a lively production of ‘Revolting’ from Matilda, and St Polycarps’ school choir thrilled as they sung ‘Roller Ghoster’.

Six-year-old Toby Carrington from St Andrew’s impressed the audience with his confident cello playing, while friends from his school performed a beautiful ballet.

Pupils from Potters Gate assembled a mini orchestra of ukuleles, steel drums and singers to perform ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’.

Great dancing talent was also on display from All Saints who entertained with a Strictly Come Dancing-inspired flamenco dance, while children from the Ridgeway School lifted up the audience with a Wild West inspired performance of ‘5,6,7,8’.

Meanwhile year two pupils from South Farnham Infants performed an entertaining dance set to the ‘The Typewriter’ song, and St Peter’s year six pupils Eva Pressly and Emily Boshier choreographed a street dance routine.

During the interval local band PR5, made up of four pupils from Weydon, performed songs such as ‘The One’ by The Stereophonics. The Ridgeway Brass Band kept with tradition and performed a rousing rendition of The National Anthem at the start of the evening.

The event, hosted by Ridgway School’s headteacher Darryl Morgan, also included a team of six pupils from across Farnham who collaborated as the event’s comperes.

Pupils from Waverley Abbey school supported the event with lighting and stage management skills.

The judges had a difficult task selecting this year’s highlights, but St Mary’s Elodie Morris and St Andrew’s Infants went onto receive the Rising Stars awards, while pupils from the Ridgeway School received the overall Farnham’s Got Talent trophy, awarded to them by Farnham mayor Mike Hodge and the event’s founder Diana Praine.

Farnham School’s Confederation chair Gregory West said: “Farnham’s Got Talent is a joyful event to be part of, and we are so proud to have so many creative pupils in our community.”