After a week of talented youngsters stunning with thier dance and musical extravaganzas, Rock Challenge 2016 has drawn to a close.

There were sailors, sea creatures, pirates, clowns and more, each of the exquisite characters gracing the dancefloor the O2 Guildhall in Southampton.

Youngsters from Harefield Primary School clinched the runners up position behind winners Rushington Primary School from Littlehampton, West Sussex.

Harefield’s performance told the touching love story of a pirate rouge and a merchant’s daughter with judges marvelling at their intricately detailed and enchanting costumes and underwater scenes featuring twinkly jelly fish.

Shirley Junior School finished in third with their fishy tale ‘Fortunes of the Sea’ with colourful seaside themed costumes and stylish choreography in a piece about enjoying and respecting marine life.

All three schools gained the Southampton City Council Award for Excellence of Choreography.

Harefield and Shirley also won the Hampshire County Council Award of Excellence for stage use.

The Rock Challenge, an international initiative run by the Be Your Best Foundation, was brought from Australia to the UK by Hampshire police in 1996 to encourage young people away from alcohol, tobacco and drugs.

Now in its 20th year, the popular event reaches out to more than 20,000 young people across the UK aged seven to 18.

Winners will be chosen each night to go on to the finals at Portsmouth Guildhall in June where they will get the chance to be named Rock Challenge champions.

Baroness Ruth Henig, Patron of the Be Your Best Foundation, said: “It is always very rewarding to see young people across the country continuing to embrace the initiative, flourishing in a 100% drug, tobacco and alcohol free environment and producing spectacular performances on stage. The entertainment provided tonight has been innovative and extremely exciting- a true testament to the months of hard work and commitment put in by all the schools, teachers and communities.”