MAGNIFICENT young musicians opened the 94th Inverclyde Music Festival in spectacular style at Greenock Town Hall.

Pupils from Craigmarloch School had the honour of opening the annual contest, with the primary choir singing The Glasgow Cat.

Another of the highlights came from a group of senior pupils who blew the audience away with their version of 'The Scientist' by Coldplay.

Pianist and vocalist Liam Cheshire and fellow musicians Aidan Gibson, Angelina Docherty and Sean Gillespie also received a rapturous response for their performance of 'No Soul'.

Adjudicator Marilynne Davies, described the pupils as stars.

She said: "What an absolutely amazing start to the festival.

"I didn't think when I came today that I would be starting with this class and it would give me so much joy and pleasure."

Marilynne said it had been a 'wonderful' way to open the proceedings.

Festival president Isabel Lind added: "What a great start to the festival.

"It was lovely to hear the children sing 'The Glasgow Cat', as it's a very popular song in Greenock."

Mark Browne, a music teacher at Craigmarloch, plus colleagues Simone McHardie, Jill Henderson and Gita Kurucova, helped the children to prepare for their big moment on stage.

Mr Browne said: "I think they are going to get a sense of enjoyment from performing that they can take with them as they progress through school and into their lives beyond school."