DOZENS of primary school pupils are to link up to perform A Song for Blackburn in the town's shopping centre.

The performance of the new work will be the culmination of a 10-week music, arts and drama project involving youngsters from Shadsworth and St Matthew's junior schools and St James CE primary school.

The initiative, which will start on September 30, will involve pupils in weekly two-hour workshops at each of the three schools, led by Thomas Gray, a guitarist who trained at the London College of Music and Media. He will be accompanied by musicians Neil Gadvi on tabla -- an Indian drum played with the hands -- and Richard Joy on traditional drums.

Thomas will encourage pupils to compose their own music, make their own instruments and use poetry, movement and art to describe their lives and different cultures. Each school will produce its own theme song, but they will work together on A Song for Blackburn, which Thomas will compose for the performance.

The schools will also work together to produce a collage as a backdrop for the show. Brian Peacock, headteacher at Shadsworth junior school in Arran Avenue, said: "The project links with art and drama and that makes it even more valuable. This is an opportunity our children would not have realised otherwise and we welcome it with open arms."

Marjorie Owen, headteacher at St James' CE primary in Oozebooth Terrace, said: "This is something we had looked to do ourselves, so it is a wonderful opportunity."

And Jenny Cree, headteacher at St Matthew's junior school in Withers Street, added: "It will be an enjoyable experience for our pupils and also complement the curriculum, because apart from the music they are going to do artwork and poetry."

The outreach project was commissioned by shopping centre owners Standard Life Investments to run in conjunction with Blackburn shopping centre's Sunday Live programme of music and comedy which began in July. The concert will take place in Victoria Court between 5pm and 6.30pm on Thursday, December 12.