ALMOST 3,000 schoolchildren across Teesside are coming together to perform a nativity play this Christmas.

The primary schoolchildren, from 64 schools in Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Stockton, will perform Home for Christmas, a musical which highlights the plight of homeless people, at three different venues.

Representatives from Shelter, the national charity helping homeless and badly-housed people, will be on hand to organise collections. Many of the children will also perform the musical in their own schools.

The musical extravaganza is being organised by the Tees Valley Music Service. Home for Christmas has been written by teacher Ruth Kenward and drama specialist Jo Sands, and confronts personal and social issues, which are expressed through songs, dance and drama.

Each performance has different schools in the choir, and the drama is performed by a different school at each venue.

Many other schools throughout the UK are performing Home for Christmas, and will also be collecting on behalf of Shelter.

Performances will be held on November 28 and 29 at Mill House Leisure Centre, Hartlepool, with 500 pupils involved; on December 5 and 6 at Eston Sports Academy, Middlesbrough, with 900 pupils involved; and December 12 and 13 at Thornaby Pavilion, with 1,300 pupils involved.

All performances start at 7pm.