TEARS were shed during an emotional talent competition at Padiham’s Shuttleworth College.

Amidst the festival of music and dance, fellow pupil Mollie Poole sang ‘Impossible’, written in memory of tragic canal fall victim Robbie Williamson, to the 400-strong crowd.

Robbie, 11, died after banging his head when he slipped into the Leeds Liverpool Canal from a pipe on Dugdale Bridge, in Lowerhouse Lane, on April 22.

Five of his best friends - Jack Farnworth, Josh Whittle, Andre Randles, Dominic Little and Leon Madden - wrote the song with the school’s head of mus-ic James Shaffer.

Mr Shaffer described the Shuttleworth’s Got Talent event as ‘quite an emotional occasion’.

He said: “The fact that it was written by his friends, some of whom were actually present at the tragedy, made it very emot-ional.

“We played it over the speakers, and there were a lot of tears in the audience.

“It was recorded in the school studio, and we’re hoping to put it on the school website soon.”

The talent show was won by drum soloist Jordan Kirley, 16. Former Shuttleworth student Joanna Embley, an aspiring actress, was among the judges.

Mr Shaffer said: “This is the third time we’ve done it and it’s got better every time. We had 416 people here’ and they all really enjoyed it.”