A ROSSENDALE high school girl band are hoping to top the charts when their debut single is released next month.

Alder Grange pupils Emily Bamford, Nadia Lisowski and Olivia Turner, who make up band FairPlay are set to release their single Seeing Stars on Friday, July 8.

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The single, which is now available to for pre-order on iTunes, has been written in memory of Rossendale teenager Sophie Lancaster who was killed in an attack in Bacup in 2007.

A portion of the profits made by single will go to the Sophie Lancaster Foundation set up in her memory.

The foundation plan on using the funds raised to recruit more police forces to respond to hate crime reports and training teachers at Alder Grange with educational resources to enhance school safety.

The track features 21 schools, colleges, universities, choirs and groups with almost 7,000 voices.

A launch event for the song is being held on Tuesday, July 5, at King George’s Hall in Blackburn, in advance of the release, where schools and singing groups from across the region will perform.

Each school will perform a song on the main stage before joining together to perform.

Schools and groups joining Alder Grange to perform at the launch include: Newchurch St, Nicholas CE Primary School, Helmshore Primary School, Holcombe Brook Primary School, Stagecoach Blackburn, Stagecoach Bury, St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Valley Aloud, VIC Singing Group and Waterfoot Primary School.

FairPlay band member Emily said: “We are very excited to finally be releasing our debut single.

“Seeing Stars is particularly important to us because it was written in memory of Sophie Lancaster.

“We really hope that people will get behind us and buy the single.”

Following the launch, the band will be heading out on a promotional tour on a professional tour bus.

The tour runs from Wednesday, July 6, to Thursday, 14, and will see the band perform to more than 20 schools and colleges.

As well as FairPlay’s performance of ‘Seeing Stars’, each tour location will be shown a short video presentation from Sylvia Lancaster about the charity.

David Heywood, acting assistant headteacher at Alder Grange, who created and manages the group, he said: “We are very excited for the launch of Seeing Stars.

“It’s been a massive team effort over the past year. Each and every person that has been involved whether through school or a choir, deserves a pat on the back already.”

“I want to thank everyone for helping us create such a wonderful single and video.”