A Borehamwood school celebrated the importance of music with its recent musician of the year contest.

Monksmead First School, in Hillside Avenue, held the competition for the first time last Wednesday afternoon, and now plans to make it an annual event.

Around 40 per cent of the school's seven to nine-year-olds, its top two classes, are learning to play instruments, like the piano, clarinet, flute, brass instruments and the recorder.

From these classes, 35 youngsters took part in the contest; and their solo performances, lasting up to two minutes each, were judged by Sam Macrow, head of music at Borehamwood's Hillside School, and Werner Jonas, the chairman of Monksmead's governing body.

The Monksmead Musician of the Year was Hannah Drew, nine, for her performance of Daisy, Daisy on the clarinet.

In second place was Alister Bourke, nine, for The Lion Sleeps Tonight on the piano, followed by Fiona Wynne, nine, with Jog Along, also on the piano.

There were five other musicians nominated for outstanding performances.

The contestants performed a mix of classical, pop and other music to an audience of family, teachers and other children.

The winner was presented with a shield, and all entrants were given medals and certificates, at an evening concert at the school on the same day.

Headteacher John Cooper said the competition allowed the musicians to value each other's performances and gave younger pupils at the school role-models.

He added: 'It was really terrific. The children were so confident, composed and talented. It is a privilege to be responsible for a school with so many talented children in it.'