Youngsters from St Michael's School in Helston flew the flag for Cornwall when they took part in the final of a national singing competition at the weekend.

Despite setbacks, including a 15-hour journey to get to the contest, members of the school choir put in a "superb" performance, narrowly being beaten into the runners-up position in the Songs of Praise school choir of the year competition.

St Michael's headteacher John Owen said he was "immensely proud" of the children, who had been "great ambassadors" for the school and for the town.

He said: "I can't speak highly enough of the way they behaved and the way they performed. They were superb. I was so proud of them.

"After they had sung in the evening the hall erupted. I think the children will remember that for the rest of their lives."

The 48 children in the choir were waved off from Helston early on Friday morning by Helston mayor and mayoress Ronnie and Debbie Williams and the chairman of governors, Brian Plunkett.

A "nightmare" journey to Manchester ensued, with delays caused by snow and heavy traffic, not to mention one of the coaches breaking down, leaving pupils and staff stranded at a motorway service station for five hours.

The group arrived at their youth hostel late on Friday night, with fewer than 12 hours to go before the start of the competition.

St Michael's was one of three primary school finalists who performed on the day - having made it through to the final from the original 127 schools that entered the competition during the first round.

Their singing, along with that of the other primary and secondary school finalists, will feature in the BBC Songs of Praise programmes on March 11 and 18.

Mr Owen said the school had enjoyed "awesome" support from the town, both at the competition and when they returned home on Sunday.

He said: "When they performed on the Saturday evening the hall was half full of people from Helston. It felt like the rugby final at Twickenham. And when we got home we had a wonderful reception, with people waving banners and cheering."

Mr Owen said thanks went out to the local schools and other organisations and individuals who had sent good luck cards, to ShelterBox in Helston who had loaned some boxes for transporting the choir's uniform, and to Spar in Helston whose "goodie" bags had proved invaluable on the long journey.