ANY old iron can be used to make sweet music, as North-East schoolchildren learned today (Thursday, September 18).

A spectacular scrap-ophony has been created by Darlington children who have worked with musicians from Sage Gateshead to form their very own Scrapyard Orchestra.

The musicians have joined pupils from Bishop Redmarshall and High Coniscliffe primary schools to form an ensemble that performs using instruments salvaged from scrap materials.

Rehearsals held at High Coniscliffe today saw the musicians, teachers and children practice their instruments ahead of their upcoming performance at The Festival of Thrift.

The children - aged between nine and ten - thoroughly enjoyed the experience and are looking forward to Sunday’s performance, according to their teacher, Chris Toner.

He said: “They’re building up to the performance and have been making instruments out of things like bins, bits of metal and an old saw.

“It’s all about finding the sounds within these objects and they have loved it – they’ve come back smiling and laughing but they’re also realising they can create a performance from this junk.

“It’s definitely something we’ll carry on as we’ve learned how music is all around us and how we can use all sorts to make it – we don’t necessarily have to spend a fortune on instruments.

“It’s bringing thrift into school, you don’t need expense to make music.”

Your Very Own Scrap Orchestra will perform at the Festival of Thrift, taking place at Darlington’s Lingfield Point on Saturday, September 27 and Sunday, September 28.

Visitors can also participate by learning to make musical instruments at the event and playing along with the performance.

To participate, email alex@festivalofthrift.co.uk.