A talented teenager has penned an original song to commemorate the First World War Centenary.
Niamh Casey-Burnett wrote the song as part of a school project she was asked to do, after learning about the Great War.
The 14-year-old used what she had been taught, together with her own feelings, to write ‘Bang and Boom’ - only taking half an hour to write the lyrics and music.
The pupil - who attends St Michael’s School in Billingham, said: “We were asked to do a presentation or powerpoint, but as I am into music, I thought I would rather write a song.
“I wanted to express my own feelings and emotions in the song and not just the facts we had learnt.
“It has got a modern day twist because I am a young person getting their feelings across in a modern way through music.”
Word soon spread about Niamh’s song and she was asked to perform at a local Festival of Remembrance at the Billingham Forum Theatre for the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal last month.
The teenager took to the stage with her ukulele - which she has been playing for about a year - and performed in front of 600 people.
Niamh said: “It was my first big performance and I was overwhelmed but honoured to get the chance to share my song in front of such a big crowd.
The schoolgirl, from Stockton, has been singing since she could talk and has won various local singing competitions over the years.
She attends The Pauline Quirke Academy on weekends and was recently cast as the lead in the upcoming show.
Mum, Debbie, 51, said: “Niamh is always singing, from morning to night.
“We don’t know where she gets it from cos no one else in the family can sing.
“We say she is just one on her own.”
Older sister Hannah, 22, said: “As we are approaching the weekend in which we remember such a sad time and hold pride in what so many service men and women went through so many years ago, I wanted to share Niamh’s performance, which is why I contacted The Gazette.
“After seeing all the stories of local remembrance events and how local talent is helping to keep this special time at the forefront of our minds across Teesside, I thought sharing this song would show how much local people do to support this cause.”
