A SCHOOLS music concert at The Galpharm is set to be one of the biggest show events at the stadium in Huddersfield since it hosted American rock giants Bon Jovi.

Ticket sales for the Stadium Spectacular on Friday evening have now topped 7,000.

And with more than 5,000 children also performing at the stadium, the event will be one of the biggest concerts since the days it hosted REM, Bon Jovi and Elton John.

With a total attendance estimated to be around 12,000, the stadium is set to be packed to the same capacity as a Huddersfield Town home game.

With just a day to go, children from 110 schools are now putting the finishing touches to their performances for the spectacular, which will be compèred by TV Presenter Kirsten O’Brien, and will feature a drumming performance by Golcar-born Britain’s Got Talent star, Michael Fish.

The event, which celebrates The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympics, will start with an Olympic-style opening ceremony.

A marching band will accompany the children, who will carry banners and flags designed by the schools.

About 1,000 instrumentalists will also be performing. The choir, with 4,500 young singers, will be seated in the stands and the songs, signed by Paul Whittaker OBE, founder of Music and the Deaf, will be projected onto a big screen.

There will be entertainment from 5.30pm from Kirklees Middle and High School students.

A massed Haka will take place and 600 dancers will perform around the arena as part of the event.

Michael Fish, a former pupil at Kirklees Music School, who reached the semi-final of ITV’s talent show, will be performing several solo numbers and will also be accompanying the massed choir in one of their opening songs.

Thom Meredith, principal, Kirklees Music School, said: “We have had an incredibly encouraging response from schools, parents and the wider community and we are all now looking forward to what promises to be a truly memorable evening.”

Tickets are still on sale from Dawsons Music, Market Street, Huddersfield or the Galpharm Stadium.

Tickets cost £6 for adults and £4 for children under 18 and Kirklees Priority Passport holders.

For further information www.kirkleesmusicshool.org.uk