THE life and times of legendary steeplejack Fred Dibnah has been immortalised in song.

Young singers, some donning a flat cap, performed The Saga of Fred for the first time at a special concert at the Victoria Hall in Bolton to mark the start of spring.

Children from five local primary schools — Beaumont Primary School, Eagley Primary School, Blackshaw Primary School, St Maxentius CE Primary School and St Peter’s CE Primary School — joined pupils from Bolton School, where the the concert was staged.

Children also performed A Bolton Suite, written by the school organist, Michael Pain, celebrating the town in four movements, A Distant Prospect of Bolton, In Rivington Churchyard, Bradshawgate by Night and A Bolton Fanfare.

The Saga of Fred, was witted by Andrea Price, director of music in the girls’ division, in tribute to Bolton's celebrity steeplejack

Primary school children joined pupils from Hesketh House and Park Road and the girls’ division’s middle school choir to sing the new folk song for Bolton.

Bolton School's Joint Senior Concert Band opened the evening with Peter Graham’s Windows of the World.

Highlights also included The School’s Chamber Choir performing Northern Lights and Sing a Song of Sixpence and the Senior Flute Quartet performance of a Jour D’été A La Montagne.

A spokesman for the school said: "There were also stunning solo pieces from Abigail Naylor on saxophone, the recent winner of the girls’ division Carter Cup for an Outstanding Musician, who played Caprice and from Henry Webb on drums, the recent winner of the boys’ division Young Musician of the Year Award, who played Dark Matter.

"The spectacular evening ended with the Massed Choir being joined by the whole congregation in a rousing version of Jerusalem and a retiring collection for Barnardo’s."

Listen to children sing The Saga of Fred at www.boltonnews.co.uk