TALENTED pupils from a village school are flying high by winning a song contest with a song about red balloons.

Hurworth Primary School won this the 2023 Darlington Mayor’s Primary Schools Song Contest with a rousing performance of 99 Red Balloons, by German singer Nena, which topped the charts in 1984.

The winning singers included: Evie Millgate, Hannah Forster, Anna Shepherd, Charlotte, Shepherd, Sasha Johnson, Milly Mae Hutchinson, Heidi Foster, Lottie Patel, Martha Walker, Elsie Wright, Paige Golightly, Amber Wraith, and Lily Bainbridge. 

Nineteen schools took part in the contest, which took place at the Dolphin Centre under the theme of ‘Colours’. The runners-up were High Coniscliffe Church of England Primary School, with the Steps’ song Deeper Shade of Blue.

Joint third were Holy Family RC Primary, with Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, and St Bede’s RC Primary, with Follow The Yellow Brick Road.

The judges were Katie Hibbard, from Durham Music Service, experienced talent coach Trudy Hindmarsh, and 15-year-old singer-songwriter Max Ferguson.

Max’s talent first emerged when he played Peter Pan at Croft Primary School, and he want on to reach the semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent in a boy band. Although not making it to the final, the boys supported Michael Ball and Il Divo on a UK tour for three weeks.

Max performed two songs before a packed audience in the Dolphin Centre Sports Hall and was given a great reception.

The Mayor of Darlington, Councillor Anne-Marie Curry, described the song contest as “inspirational”, adding that the performers had done themselves, their families and their schools proud.

The event raised money for the Mayor’s charities: Family Help Darlington, and Darlington Association On Disability.

The contest, which was compered by Peter Barron, was also attended by the Vice Lord Lieutenant of County Durham, Michael Poole, and other civic dignitaries.