Choirs battle it out for title

Christmas choristers are waiting with baited breath today to find out who will be crowned champions in a hotly contested singing competition in the Black Country.

Schools from all over the area entered the annual choir competition at Merry Hill and judges are now busy totting up their scores before the winner is finally announced on Monday.

Performers have been raising the roof at Merry Hill Shopping Centre all week in a bid to wow shoppers and judges alike with their musical offerings in the seventh annual event.

Schools from Sedgley, Bilston, Tipton, Great Barr and Wolverhampton, among many others, have taken to the stage to sing some festive melodies as the competition has progressed.

There were 15 schools selected to take part in yesterday's final which ran from 9.30am through to 4.30pm at the centre.

They were: St Bernadettes Primary School in Wombourne; St Marks Primary School in Pensnett; Bramford Primary School in Coseley; Park Hill Primary in Wednesbury; St Mary's Catholic Primary School in Brierley Hill; Lutley Primary School in Halesowen; Kates Hill Primary School in Dudley; Bromley Pesnett Primary School in Brierley Hill; St Joseph's Primary School in Stourbridge; Dudley Wood Primary School in Dudley Wood; Cotwall End Primary School in Sedgley; Priory Primary in Dudley; Netherbrook Primary in Netherton; Glebefield Primary School in Tipton; and Dawley Brook Primary School in Kingswinford.

Judges said they would be scoring the schools on factors such as enthusiasm, originality and quality of performance.

The overall winning school will receive £3,000 worth of musical equipment to aid the musical development of their students and a trip to tour Heart FM Radio studios.

Second prize is £1,000 and third prize is £500 worth of equipment.