IT was standing room only when more than 200 youngsters took to the stage to perform in a festive school concert to remember.

An audience of 500 friends, family and teachers enjoyed the winter concert at Forest School in Snaresbrook - which involved pupils of all ages playing a range of different instruments.

The annual event - which was held in the sports hall at the school, in College Place on November 25 - involved youngsters from the prep school choir right up to the senior school's symphony orchestra.

Teacher, George Paynter said: "Musicians of all ages had been preparing furiously to impress the audience, playing a repertoire ranging from the Chamber Orchestra's performance of Vivaldi's Concerto for 2 Trumpets with Rachael Duffy and James Allen as soloists, through to the Contemporary Music Ensemble's rendition of one of the most recent compositions of our successful sixth form composer Eoin Roe.

"The concert also saw the debut performance of the new Concert Orchestra.

"It was an opportunity for the largest number of Forest's performers, be they from the Prep School, girls or boys in the senior schools or members of the adult Choral Society, to take part in what can only be described as a spectacular jamboree performance.

"Well done to everyone and here's to the next major end-of-term concert, the Monteverdi 1610 Vespers in March."