FOUR hundred youngsters will sing at a special concert in Winchester Cathedral on Monday (June 28).

The free concert is part of a project to encourage children to sing in schools and choirs up and down the country.

The Choral Outreach Day, which features children aged between 10 and 11 from five different schools in the Meon Valley, has morning workshops from 10am with the concert starting at 1.30pm.

Since before Easter, children at schools from Bishop's Waltham, Droxford, Swanmore, Upham and Wickham have been learning songs especially composed for children's voices. They have been taught by Alan Quadros, Assistant Director at The Pilgrims' School in Winchester and Richard McVeigh, the Assistant Organist at Winchester Cathedral.

The Dean of Winchester, James Atwell, said: “We are very pleased to be taking part in this interesting and worthwhile development and are delighted to welcome so many children to the Cathedral to show us what they have been rehearsing. Anyone who would like to attend the concert is most welcome.”