EAST Lancashire schoolchildren are hoping to sing their way into the world record books.

Nine schools from the area have joined 2,972 schools from across the country which have signed up for the Big Sing.

The world record bid involves the pupils singing at their schools at the same time the song is being led from a concert at London’s O2 Arena.

St Mary and St Joseph’s RC Primary School Blackburn, St James’ School, Lower Darwen, Avondale Primary School, Darwen, Holy Trinity CE Primary School, Darwen, Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School, Crawshawbooth Primary School, St Andrew’s CE Primary School, Blackburn, West End Primary School, Oswaldtwistle, St Thomas’ CE Primary School, Blackburn, are all taking part in the bid for the biggest simultaneous sing along.

The 500,000 children are set to smash the world record on November 27 at 2.45pm whilst raising funds for Young Voices, which encourages singing in schools.

Cash raised from the event will also go to children’s cancer charity CLIC Sargent, Marie Curie Cancer Care and Youth Music which supports music-making activities for disadvantaged young people.

In 2005, 293,978 youngsters performed live from the Royal Albert Hall and smashed the record for the largest simultaneous sing along and raised £143,000 for charity.

This year the choir will be led by multi award-winning singer-songwriter Des’ree who will perform a specially commissioned version of her worldwide smash hit You Gotta Be live.

Des’ree had said she would never sing the track again, leaving pop music to pursue other projects.

However, when asked she did not turn down the opportunity to help worthy causes, and so she is back to sing it one last time.

She said: “I am so happy ‘Big Sing’ are using it and cannot wait to hear all of the children singing it for such worthwhile causes.”