YOUNG Wirral pianists Rachel Light and Katie Laing are preparing to play their part in a special charity show at the Gladstone Theatre this week.

The two eight year olds are taking part in a concert in aid of Claire House featuring 'The Beethovens.'

The Wirral-based group was started by music teacher Linda Hatton in 1995 and featured her former pupils.

Over the years, the group has steadily grown have joined and now features Wirral musicians ranging from eight to 60.

Linda hopes that this concert will be a record breaker, with a brand new programme of music featuring everything from light classics, pop, jazz, and recent chart hits all performed by friends and pupils of Linda's ranging in age from eight to sixty.

The shows have raised more than £15,000 over the last ten years. Within the last seven years, the shows have raised £12,000 for Claire House. Prior to that, the Beethovens had raised money for Clatterbridge Cancer Research and Children In Need.

Tickets for the show, which takes place from Thursday to Saturday, June 23-25, and starts at 7.30pm, are available from the Gladstone Theatre Box office on 643-8757 and the following outlets: The Heritage Centre, Greendale Road, Port Sunlight; Bebington Village Newsagents, Church Road, Bebington and the Village Shop, Village Road, Lower Heswall.