MUSICAL youngsters have returned from a magical concert tour of Belgium.

Three school bands at Turton High School have spent a week performing in town squares and theme parks around Belgium.

The youngsters, aged between 11 and 18, performed at the huge bandstand in the main square at Ostend, the Bobejaanaland Theme Park, near Antwerp, and in the Old Town square at Mechelen near Brussels.

For the past five years, the school has taken part in the National Festival of music for Youth, leading to frequent appearances at the South Bank Centre in July.

This year, the school's junior and senior jazz band and the senior wind band decided to do something quite different and took their talents to Europe.

Head of music John Parkinson said: "It was quite a change performing outside in the sun in a relaxed, concert environment to the indoor competitions that we normally find ourselves part of during July.

"We have a cracking group of pupils in the bands at present and I wanted them to experience a different side to performance," he added.