By Edward Posnett. On Thursday, Bill Haley underwent a religious makeover in Heathmere Primary School's nativity musical, "Rock Around the Flock".

Over 70 students performed in the event, which included dance routines and musical accompaniment.

Musical director Tabatha Bryce, herself clearly an accomplished dancer and musician, began rehearsing with the children in September.

As scores of children appeared dressed as stars, shepherds, angels and stable animals at the front of artistic director Sue Bell's set, one could be forgiven for mistaking the Alton Road school, minus the cooing parents, for Bethlehem itself.

All the children participated finely: some delivered their lines boisterously while others, more timid, tried to find mummy in the throng facing the stage.

Religious rapture was temporarily interrupted by a rendition of S Club 7's hit, "Reach For The Stars", and the macarena dance routine which accompanied it, but entertainment certainly profited by this most modern attempt to view the top 10 hit as Christian allegory.

The shepherds' performance of the agricultural blues number, "Moo Moo", which included occasional "free style" dance improvisation, was rivalled only by the dexterity of the teacher-prompters, who were themselves clearly not alien to the dance floor.

Particular mention should go to Mary, played by Rebecca Beanland, whose solo enraptured all present, and may well be seen at the West End soon, albeit hopefully in a different role. Watch this space.