Cancer survivors joined schoolchildren and professional singers to perform a charity single raising money to find a cure for the disease.

Inspired by one of her best friends who is currently battling cancer, Colchester songwriter Sarah-Louise Isom created single Touch the Sky in aid of Cancer Research UK.

At Colchester’s Christmas market, Sarah Louise was joined by members of her singing group Mini Vibes as well as Millfields Primary School’s Singing Stars and people who have lived through the disease to perform the song outside Colchester Town Hall.

Gazette:

She said: “It was brilliant. We were in the high street all day.

“The kids did really well. They seemed a bit star struck at times, some of them forgot the moves to the song but it did not matter.

“My friend who has cancer, Carly Reeves, was there and she found it really emotional.

“Another friend, Gemma Nicholl, who has a brain tumour, was also there.

“Every time she hears the song she cries because it is an emotional song.”

Crowds were given a chance to purchase copies of Touch the Sky and Sarah Louise says the team raised £242 for Cancer Research UK on the day.

A video for the single, which was recorded with the help of some local musicians under the collective name Huckleberry Taylor and Friends, is being produced and will soon be available online.

Sarah Louise said: “Rather than selling the song through Itunes we are going to send out a link when people make any kind of donations on our JustGiving page.

“I was absolutely chuffed with the turn out on Sunday, there was around 30 people with us.

“It brought everyone together at Christmas, which is what we were aiming for.

“Afterwards we sang some Christmas songs in our Santa hats as well.”

For more information about Touch the Sky, visit www.facebook.com/SarahLouiseProfessionalVocalist or www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sarah-louise28.

READ MORE: A song has been recorded to help find a cure for cancer