CHILDREN aiming to be the next George Sampson took part in their very own version of Britain’s got Talent.

Castercliff Community Primary, Marsden Hall Road North, Nelson, hosted Castercliff’s Got Talent yesterday as part of national Shine week.

Budding singers, dancers, magicians, comedians, karate experts and actors showed off their skills to a panel of three judges, which included one to rival the notoriously nasty Simon Cowell.

Auditions were last week and the best four acts from each class were chosen in a vote by pupils to perform at the show.

The 40 acts that appeared in the contest were made up of children aged four to 11.

Creative Partnerships co-ordinator at the school Julie Charlesworth, hailed the show a success and said there were some surprise packages.

She said: “It was lovely and the children have been buzzing about it all week. It was a really positive atmosphere and there was no booing, apart from at the nasty judge when he pressed his buzzer.

“Some of the quietest children were the ones who wanted to get up on stage and they really did shine.”

Once the judges have chosen the best seven acts, pupils and staff will vote for the overall winner to be announced on Monday. Shine week is the first national schools festival designed to celebrate talent in every young person and aims to widen children’s perce-ptions of talent and recognise it in themselves.

Creative director of Creative Partnerships Lancashire Chris May, said: “Shine is a fantastic opportunity for schools to demonstrate how they identify and celebrate the talents of all young people.

“We’re delighted that our partner schools are putting so much effort in to positively profiling their pupils’ achievements.”