INTERNATIONAL star Sir Thomas Allen left the great opera houses of the world behind him to visit part of the North-East.

Seaham-born baritone Sir Thomas joined pupils at Howletch Primary School, in Peterlee, County Durham, to help them rehearse for a gala performance of Alan Simmons' work, Olympics!

The concert, which is written for children, will be performed on April 20, at Peterlee Leisure Centre, and will feature Sir Thomas as the narrator and soloist.

The concert is being arranged by the Durham County Music Support Service, which has been rehearsing with pupils and the composer since September.

More than 300 young people will join Sir Thomas this week in schools in Seaham and Murton.

He said his rehearsals with the pupils had been equally important on his timetable as concerts he will perform in venues such as La Scala in Milan.

"It is part of my work and I wouldn't want to miss the opportunity of doing something like this, particularly in my native County Durham," he said.

He said music helped raise self-esteem and he recalled how as a young boy in Seaham with a talented singing voice "no one quite knew what to do with me".

"Maybe I can just light the touchpaper for one youngster here," he said.

Yesterday, Sir Thomas continued his tour of east Durham, visiting Deneside Primary and Princess Road Junior Schools, both in Seaham, and St Joseph's RC Primary School, in Murton.

Published: 17/02/2005