Pupils joining music experts for festival tribute to Britain's most famous sailor

And more than 400 years on, Sir Francis Drake is still creating waves as his travels are inspiring a performance by children at the York Early Music Festival which is due to be staged next month .

Pupils from Lord Deramore's Primary School in Heslington have been working with the National Centre for Early Music (NCEM) to prepare for the concert about Sir Francis' epic nautical journeys, and the pupils yesterday rehearsed for the performance.

The pupils are working over four days with the NCEM's education consultant, Cathryn Dew, and community musician Andrew Passmore to trace the route of Sir Francis through music, learning songs and instrumental pieces from Elizabethan England as well as music from many of the lands he visited.

The work will culminate in a performance with actor Mark Payton at the NCEM as part of the York Early Music Festival at 2pm on Monday, July 12.

The NCEM's director, Delma Tomlin, said: "We are really delighted to be working with Lord Deramore's School in this exciting initiative and to give

the young people a chance to showcase their work in front

of a festival audience."

Sir Francis found fame when he became the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe after he arrived back on British soil in September 1580.

Tickets for the concert are free, and can be booked in advance by visiting the NCEM's website at www.ncem.co.uk