CHURCH groups in the Forest have scored a coup by booking one of Africa's best known children's choirs for a series of mini-concerts in the New Year.

Watoto Children's Choir, which sang at the opening of the Beijing Olympics, will be come hotfoot to the Forest straight from a London concert expected to attract 6,000 people.

Ken Matthews from the Forest Christian Fellowships said: "This is a fantastic coup, they are a phenomena, and they've agreed to sing at four different events in the Forest over four days. They'll also be staying among families in the Forest while they're here."

The first of the Watoto concerts will be in Chepstow, followed by Lydney, a venue in the Mitcheldean area and finally, at the Forest Theatre.

The choir, based on the outskirts of Kampala in Uganda, works to rescue orphans, providing them with a home, food, clothing and education based around family care rather than an institution. To find out more visit website watotointheforest.org