8,000 people at Wembley Arena hold up posters of missing children

MEMBERS of a Basingstoke choir helped a charity for missing people by holding up pictures of lost children at a singing event in Wembley Arena.

The 120-strong group from Basingstoke Rock Choir, based at Cranbourne Business and Enterprise College, joined 8,000 other members from across the country for Rock Choir Live.

The private event was the climax of filming for an ITV documentary about the choir which is being shown next month.

In support of the charity Missing People, everyone in the arena held up posters of various missing children, including Madeleine McCann, to raise awareness of International Missing Children’s Day, which is today.

Caroline Redman Lusher, director of Rock Choir, said: “It felt so right to support Missing People. The charity changes the lives of people affected when someone disappears. If we can help just one missing child be brought home to safety, it will all have been worthwhile.”

The Rock Choir then sang Something Inside So Strong, which was dedicated to the charity.

Robbie Harling, a team leader with Basingstoke Rock Choir, said: “There were 10,000 of us all holding up a sheet of paper with a missing person featured – the silence was awesome and very emotional.

“Mine featured Damien Nettles, a young boy of 16, missing since November 2, 1996. I cannot imagine how his family must be feeling, not knowing what happened to him or where he is. It made singing the song so poignant.”