Children record song inspired by Teesside steel making
Hundreds of school children are to record a rousing song to celebrate Teesside's steel making heritage.
About 300 youngsters will record the specially-written song called Standing Proud, later this month.
The Redcar and Cleveland Council funded project has been inspired by efforts to save the Teesside Cast Products (TCP) blast furnace in Redcar.
Thai company SSI is poised to restart steel making at the former Corus-owned TCP facility later this year.
The steel-themed CD will be made available in shops throughout the area in the coming weeks, with proceeds going to help fund an arts festival later this year.
Written by local song-writer Ged Skillcorn, with music by teacher Christopher Nixon, the project is bringing children together from Lakes Primary, Normanby Primary, Brambles Primary, St Margaret's RC Primary, Skelton Primary and Bankfields Primary schools.
Mr Nixon said: "The children from our schools are looking forward to being involved in recording their own celebration of our steel heritage.
"The final line of the song - 'let the new steel flow' - sums it all up, as we look forward to jobs for future generations of people in our area."
Redcar and Cleveland Council leader George Dunning, a former steel worker of 30 years, said: "This is a fantastic project and comes as we continue to push for the historic announcement that steel making is definitely returning to TCP."
TCP was partially mothballed in February last year with the loss of about 1,600 jobs when a consortium pulled out of a deal to buy its steel.
The song will have its first official public performance at Redcar's Coatham Bowl on 19 February.