IT is the most important front door in the country -- and a group of youngsters from Bolton have sung outside it!

Members of Bolton's Junior Choir enjoyed a fantastic day out when they sang Christmas carols outside the Prime Minister's residence -- Number 10 Downing Street.

Musical director Susan Wilding was over the moon when her request for the youngsters to sing there proved successful.

Bolton North-east MP David Crausby helped to set up the special performance and both he and Bolton West MP Ruth Kelly travelled to London especially to support the choir.

The 35 youngsters, aged between seven and 13, performed three songs -- "Sing for Christ is Born", an original composition called "Baby Sleep" written by Susan's daughter Jeni and the lively carol "Mary Had a Baby".

Sadly, the Blair family missed out on the mini-carol service as they were at Chequers for the weekend, but the Downing Street police officers, workmen and security staff were all delighted by the performance.

The youngest member of the choir, seven-year-old Lauren Sawyer, enjoyed the special honour of knocking on the door of number 10 to present a Christmas card on behalf of the choir and the children were thrilled to be presented with special Downing Street memento booklets.

But the excitement did not end there as the choir performed the carols twice more for their parents, who had been waiting at the end of Downing Street, and for tourists outside Buckingham Palace.

They then enjoyed an afternoon spent listening to other choirs at the finals of the Choir of the Year at the Royal Albert Hall.

Susan said: "They really had a fantastic time and it was very kind of David Crausby and Ruth Kelly to travel to London in their own time.

"I think the children were quite overwhelmed by the whole day and they were certainly very excited."

The young choir will be busy over the festive period taking part in a carol service at the Royal Northern College of Music which will be transmitted by BBC GMR and singing at the Bolton Mayor's charity concert at the Albert Halls on December 15.