A ROUSING rendition of Once in Royal David’s City sung by choir and congregation opened the Bolton School boys’ division Christmas festival.

Classic Christmas carols were intertwined with emotive readings and reflections from pupils of all ages as well as some less familiar festive songs.

The packed congregation played its part too, standing to join in with many of the Christmas favourites, including O Little Town of Bethlehem, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing! While Shepherds Watched, Mary’s Boy Child, Shine Jesus Shine and O Come, all ye Faithful!

Hundreds of voices sang out from several choirs as they offered up stirring performances on the evening, including the junior choir, the chamber choir and the senior school choir, and they were accompanied by the 80-strong school orchestra.

Choir-only classics included Bethlehem, Sing We Now of Christmas, Bethlehem Spiritual, Ding Dong! Merrily on High, Creator of the Stars of Night and Christmas Lullaby.

Boys gave several readings, ranging from the biblical to the contemporary, while Andrew Clelland’s reflection, Christmas 1914, reminded the audience of the fabled moment when fighting on the western front paused briefly for the troops to mark Christmas and to enjoy a game of football.

Year 9 pupil George Speak closed the readings with a children's prayer.

Dave Bagley, from charity Urban Outreach, gave a reading on the theme of peace and hope.

He reminded the audience that since World War One, wars have killed almost three times the current population of the UK (64 million) and said peace begins with the individual.

Urban Outreach’s is running a project to offer hampers to 1,000 families in need in Bolton, which the school has supported by providing 1,000 after dinner mints and crackers.

Headmaster Philip Britton closed the evening by thanking all participants, and said: "Christmas is a time for doing, reaching out and making a difference."

There was a retiring collection for Create Bolton, a Christian charity which aims to support local families and individuals.