A GROUP of Lake District singers have been crowned Stagecoach’s Choir of the Year.

The Lakes Choir was awarded the prestigious title after beating eight choirs from across the country in a national festival at Birmingham Symphony Hall.

Hannah Fleming, vocal teacher and Choral Director at Stagecoach, said: “The students worked tirelessly to perfect their piece for the show and it paid off - their performance on the night was outstanding.”

The competition saw 370 students selected from 600 schools from England battle it out in front of Suzi Digby OBE who was TV judge in the BBC’s Last Choir Standing in 2009.

But it was the Lakes Choir that wowed judges with their renditions of Bob Chilcot’s Remember Me and John Rutter’s Heavenly Aeroplane at the fifth bi-annual Stagecoach National Choir Festival on Sunday (June 8).

They also took part in a mass choral performance of Pharrel William’s Happy and shared the same stage with Britain’s Got Talent’s operatic duo Jonathan and Charlotte Jaconelli, an ex Stagecoach pupil.

And as well as scooping the accolade, the Lakes Choir will also get the chance to perform in London’s West End.

The 45-strong team is made up of students from Stagecoach schools in Kendal, Lancaster, Cockermouth and Carlisle.

Ms Fleming added: “They’ve come such a long way since starting only two years ago and have proved real contenders on the choir circuit.”

Stagecoach Kendal run Saturday afternoon classes in dancing, singing and acting and summer holiday workshops for children aged four to 17 at Kendal Town Hall.

For more information call kendal@stagecoach.co.uk