Gainsborough schoolchildren in TV Joseph bid

Children at Lea Francis Olive Anderson C of E Primary School will compete against hundreds of others across the country for the chance to perform live on the final episode of hit BBC show Any Dream Will Do.

The winning school will also be invited to appear in the West End for a special Children in Need performance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

But the school needs the public's vote to win the contest and are calling on the people of Gainsborough to help them reach the big stage.

Helen Topp, the school's music co-ordinator, said the kids have worked really hard.

"We have only been given three weeks to practice so the kids have been giving up their lunch breaks to make sure we get it right, which has been great.

"They have all done so well because the piece of music we have to learn is really hard.

"The headteacher (Elizabeth McCaffrey) saw the choir search competition advertised and thought we should go for it. I have to say that I have been really impressed with what I have seen.

"But we need the public to get behind us and vote for our school if we are going to win."

The school has chosen 20 children, of all ages, to enter the competition - singing the difficult piece "Entr'Acte".

The lucky youngsters were video recorded for their entry into the competition last Thursday after hours of perfecting the piece of music.

The voting closes on May 19 and the top 20 entries will go forward to be personally judged by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Annabel Tasker, 11, said she had really enjoyed practising for the competition.

She said: "I think it is going to be really hard but it has been a lot of fun singing. I hope we can win."

And fellow vocalist Chloe Fletcher, 11, added: "I don't know if we'll win but I have enjoyed all the singing."

To give your support to Lea Francis Olive Anderson Primary School, register your vote by clicking on www.josephchoirsearch.co.uk