NEARLY 400 Bury schoolchildren are getting the chance to celebrate Christmas early - and become budding pop stars!

They are all taking part in a charity festive CD recording project in aid of school funds.

The youngsters, aged between seven and 11, will perform more than 30 Christmas carols and will be recorded live at Bury Met today and tomorrow.

And the resulting CD, funded by the Mill Gate shopping centre, will be sold by the schools and could appear in the centre's top ten of "must have" Christmas gifts list.

Primary schools taking part in the recording are St John with St Mark; St Paul's; Ribble Drive; Whitefield Community; Radcliffe Hall; Holcombe Brook, St Andrew's and St Bernadette's.

Music co-ordinator Emma Gordon, from Radcliffe Hall, said, "The children have chosen their own songs which are a mix of traditional and contemporary including Christingle Rock & Roll which they love to perform."

Catherine Fleming, music teacher at St Bernadette's,Whitefield, said: "One of our songs, Chain of Friendship, was written by a member of staff, Chris Duffin, so recording this is extra special.

"It is odd hearing Christmas songs at this time of year - although the weather has been so awful recently you would think it was December!"