YOUNGSTERS from St.Anthony's R C High School in Urmston celebrated National Music day last Friday by staging a 'Festival of international music and culture'.

The purpose of the concert was to widen the cultural perceptions of the pupils and to recognise and reward the pupils' recent academic results.

This year the school generated outstanding GCSE and SAT results. For example 46% of last years year eleven gained at least 5 GCSE A*-C grades.

This figure marked St.Anthony's as one of the most successful catholic secondary/comprehensive schools in the city of Manchester.

The event highlighted music from around the world and specifically featured Inder Golfinger an Indian percussionist, the head teacher's longstanding friend from the Ian Brown Band.

Ian Brown is the former vocalist of The Stone Roses and he and his band are currently touring with the Manic Street Preachers.

Also contributing were Aziz Ibrahiem, the ex-Stone Roses guitarist, the worlds first Asian 'boy-band' The Untouchables, MC Kashif a rising rap star and Opus 1, chill-out ambient music from Ibiza.

These stars played alongside other musical performers representing the school's student body.