THREE youngsters who wowed the crowds at the town's young fun talent competition will be taking to the stage at Bolton's Christmas Lights Spectacular on Thursday.

Samantha Pilling, Sarah Rushton and Charles Butcher carried off trophies at the BBC Music Live Festival and will be lining up with top acts as part of two hours of entertainment leading up to the switch-on of the first Christmas lights of the new Millennium.

Samantha, 15, has been dancing since she was 10 and will be performing her interpretation of the smash hit from the Jim Carey film, The Mask. She attends the FAME school (Forward Academy of Modern Expression), and plays the violin and piano and sings solo in her school choir at St Joseph's, Horwich.

Sarah, a pupil at Smithills School, sings in the school choir, plays the clarinet in the school band and wants to sing on TV.

Charles Butcher, just six years old, lives in Warburton, Cheshire, but goes to Bolton Academy of Dance and Stage for dance tuition and performance training. He's already a trouper and took to the stage of the Albert Halls at Bolton Town Hall when he was only three in a show in aid of the Mayor's Charity. He has also appeared on Sky TV with Sharon Davies; won his section in the Bolton Evening News talent show and is a regular in local fashion shows and talent competitions.

Also appearing will be cast members from the Christmas shows -- Cinderella and The Owl and the Pussycat went to See at the Albert Halls and the Octagon Theatre, Wanderers players and the semi-finalists in the Rugby League World Cup, which is being played at the Reebok on Saturday. Tommy Tower from Tower FM, the A!ive band, chart group Atomic Kitten and Hannah Morris, the teenage Bolton singer who has just signed with Virgin Records, will also be there.

Father Christmas and the Mayor, Cllr Alan Wilkinson, will be turning on the town's lights at 7pm against a backdrop of a spectacular fireworks display sponsored by the BEN.