HUNDREDS of children sang their hearts out at the final night of this year’s Bolton Schools’ Music Festival.

The week-long musical spectacular came to a fitting close with another 11 schools taking to the stage to delight a packed Victoria Hall.

The 46th annual festival, organised by the Bolton Schools’ Music Association has seen performances take place at the prestigious hall every night since Monday, with guest conductors leading a host of different schools each night.

Each evening has been opened by a different band and last night’s closing show was introduced by the Bolton Junior Youth Orchestra and their musical director Richard Broomhead.

Every show has provided a combination of massed choir performances and individual school songs for friends and family to enjoy.

Last night’s showstopping songs included renditions of Electric Light Orchestra’s ‘Mr Blue Sky’, The Monkees classic, ‘I’m a Believer’ and ‘Any Dream Will Do’, from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

The schools performing last night were; Clevelands Preparatory School, Egerton Primary School, Hardy Mill Community Primary School, Horwich Parish C.E Primary School, St. Maxentius C.E Primary School, St. Stephen and All Martyrs’ C.E Primary School, St. Teresa’s R.C Primary School, The Forwards Centre, The Gates Primary School and The Oaks Primary School.

Before to the festival, each school had been rehearsing their individual performances for months, but the massed choir efforts were rehearsed just a day before the big night.

Speaking after another hugely successful event, chairman of the Bolton Schools’ Music Association, Patricia Hughes said: “The whole week has been a tremendous success and that is down to the hard work of all the teachers and school children involved as well as the conductors and accompanists.

“Last night’s show capped things off brilliantly, with fantastic performances from all the schools involved, led brilliantly by conductor Marc Hall.

"I would also like to pay tribute to everyone behind the scenes this week who have done an unbelievable job in making this 46th music festival a great success.”