Talented young performers from Swindon took part in the first ever Stagecoach Performing Arts Festival earlier this month.

Students from Faringdon, Highworth, Shrivenham and Lechlade joined their peers at Buscot Park, the 18th Century National Trust property in west Oxfordshire, on July 7.

267 students from local Stagecoach schools took to the stage to perform 18 different acts in front of roughly one thousand audience members, including friends and family.

They performed a range of well-known hits by musicians including Elton John, Abba, Spice Girls, The Bee Gees, The Monkees and The Beatles, among other household names.

The principle of Stagecoach Faringdon and Highworth, James Barker said: “I’m exceptionally proud of each and every one of the students.

"They have exceeded all expectations; performances were spine-tingling!

"It was an unforgettable experience for the students and their parents,” Mr Barker added.

One highlight included a medley of Bert Bacharach classics which was performed by the Further Stages students, who are those aged between 15 and 18.

While the children put on a spectacle, the delighted audience enjoyed a picnic in the sunshine before joining in with a sing-along climax of the show.

Stagecoach Performing Arts Faringdon and Highworth is part of a network of more than 1,800 extra-curricular Performing Arts Schools worldwide.

The school teaches singing, dancing and acting to students aged between two and 18 in weekend classes.

This year's inaugural festival was the culmination of eight weeks of preparation and rehearsals for performers.

“Preparing for this event has been a fantastic exercise in teaching the children how to work together and it has been wonderful to see them flourish,” added Mr Barker.

“It shows just how beneficial the performing arts can be in giving children skills they can take forward with them throughout their lives,” he said.