ADORABLE young actors from a Colchester school melted the hearts of a national TV audience.

Children aged five, six and seven from Montgomery Infant School delivered their lines with perfection and sang all the right notes when they appeared live on ITV’s This Morning.

They were selected as one of just five lucky schools in the country to be chosen to perform an excerpt of their nativity play, as part of the daytime programme’s Christmas build-up this week.

Headteacher Sally Leung said: “I was so proud.

“The children weren’t phased at all, it was phenomenal.

“The children rose to the occasion, they really did, and their singing was amazing.”

The 15 youngsters landed their five-minutes of festive fame after a parent nominated them.

Producers then contacted Mrs Leung asking her to send them an e-mail explaining why the Baronswood Way school should be chosen to take part.

Mrs Leung replied a number of the pupils had dads in the Army who may have been away over Christmas and the school has a great community spirit.

That convinced producers to snap the young starlets up and, after a 5.30am departure from school yesterday, they arrived at ITV’s London studios for their big moment.

Five of the children had speaking parts before the cast, comprising members of the school choir, all performed Ding Dong Merrily on High.

Mrs Leung said she hoped the occasion would provide the children with special memories.

She said: “We can give them an outstanding education in school, but it is the little bits like this that happen on that journey too.”

The coach-load of pupils arrived back at the school in the afternoon excited to watch their screen debut when they got home.