HUNDREDS of youngsters will bring the magic of Christmas to venues across County Durham with a series of concerts starting tonight.

Children aged from nine to 18 will be performing at the shows staged by Durham County Council's Music Support Service, based in Bishop Auckland.

The festivities get under way tonight when Chester-le-Street District Orchestra, Chester-le-Street Wind Group and Chester-le-Street Guitar Group perform at the town's Hermitage School at 7.15pm.

On Monday, there are three concerts - Teesdale District Wind Band plays at Staindrop Comprehensive School, at 4.30pm; Durham District Wind Band plays at Framwellgate Comprehensive School, also at 4.30pm; and Wear Valley District Wind Band plays at Crook Primary School, at 6pm.

Tuesday sees Easington District Orchestra, Easington Guitar Group and Easington District Wind Band perform at Thornley Community Centre, at 7pm.

Next Thursday, Sedgefield District Wind Band plays at Sedgefield Primary School, at 4.45pm, while Sedgefield First Orchestra and Sedgefield District Orchestra perform at Greenfield Comprehensive School, in Newton Aycliffe, at 5pm.

The North Regional Wind Band will be playing at Framwellgate Comprehensive, in Durham, at 11.30am, on Saturday, December 10, and the County Youth Orchestra and County Wind Band will be at Spennymoor Comprehensive, at 2pm, the same day.

On Wednesday, December 14, Darlington First Orchestra, Darlington District Orchestra, the South Regional Orchestra and the Darlington Youth Choir will be performing at Carmel College, in Darlington, at 7pm.

Fishburn Brass Band will be playing at Elvet Methodist Church, in Durham, at 7.30pm on Thursday, December 15. It will be followed on Monday, December 19 by the County Youth Choir and County Youth Orchestra who will perform at the same venue.

The season's programme concludes on January 4 when the County Youth Choir plays at the North of England Education Conference, at The Sage, in Gateshead.

There will be a retiring collection after the concerts, except for those featuring the County Youth Orchestra, County Wind Band and County Youth Choir, when tickets at the door will be priced from £1 to £4.