TEENAGE voices joined in unison to sing for the survival of their flourishing choir yesterday.

The public performance by members of Durham County Youth Choir was held in protest at the decision to cut two administrative posts.

It follows recent news passed on to members during a training weekend in Cumbria, revealing that Durham County Council's schools music service will cease to fund the positions of secretary and registrar at the end of the academic year.

About a dozen singers, drawn from schools round the county, began the two-hour sing-in on Framwellgate Bridge, Durham.

They were joined by more members after school, singing a selection from their repertoire, while others gathered names on a petition urging the county council to think again about the cuts.

The authority said that the decision to axe the two posts was only taken to bring the choir into line with other youth music groups it operates, all of which have only two-funded administrative positions.

Protest organiser Katy Wells, a member of the choir for more than three years, fears it may be only the first money-saving manoeuvre by the county council.

"We are getting a lot of support from people passing by and we hope to hand the petition to County Hall some time next week, before the end of the school year.

"Whether they will pay any attention, I don't know, but at least we are letting them know how strongly we feel about this," she said.

"These two jobs are very important in the arranging of music and organising of our concert dates and rehearsals," said Katy, from Chester-le-Street.

More names will be added to the petition at the choir's next concert, at St Godric's RC Church, Durham, on Sunday, at 8pm.