Five hundred youngsters from villages surrounding Winchester descended on the city's Theatre Royal last week for a day of music and drama which had an international flavour.

The children from schools in Curdridge, Droxford, Durley, Meonstoke, Newtown, Soberton and Upham meet once a year for a shared activity day.

The theme for this year was "Ballooning Around the World" and the youngsters arrived dressed in the style of the country they were representing.

The event featured songs, poetry and dance from countries as far afield as Russia to the Caribbean.

The voyage, by hot air balloon, began in Scotland, where tartan-clad square-dancing pupils from Newtown and Meonstoke sang "The Porridge Song".

The search for the "food of dreams" continued with a tribute to "Stella's Paella" from Curdridge Primary which also featured a guitar and vocal solo from Joseph Ward.

For Droxford pupils the Egyptian dessert of halva was a favourite. But the balloon's final destination, Jamaica, just had so many delicious foodstuffs on offer that Upham School decided to stay there and invited everyone else to join them!

The singers were accompanied by pianist Christine Street, flautist Jo Robson and cellist Ruth Green with ex-Upham pupil Jacob Dore on drums, enjoying a specially sanctioned day off from Wyvern School in Fair Oak to help with the event.

Following the performance David Burgess congratulated everyone on a "fantastic performance which celebrated what each school had done both individually and together" and thanked all the pupils and teachers involved for all their hard work.