THEY'VE had celebrity help from The Vaccines, Frightened Rabbit and Franz Ferdinand.

But now pupils from Glasgow's St Mungo's learning community are ready to launch their first single.

Primary and secondary pupils from East End schools recorded Let the Games Begin, a Commonwealth-themed song, to raise money for Unicef.

Head teacher of St Anne's Primary, Louise Hamilton, said: "I'm just so proud of them.

"We have been working with such prestigious people to make the single."

St Anne's, near the Gallowgate, is a School of Music, where every child has the chance to learn a musical instrument.

Guitarist Freddie Cowan, of hit band The Vaccines, became involved with the school and a project to record a song developed.

Pupils from St Anne's and the nine schools in the St Mungo's learning community formed East40 - named for the postcode of the schools.

Youngsters involved are aged from three to 17.

Local songwriter Jonathan Carr composed the song with help from pupils and Frightened Rabbit's Scott Hutchison.

The schools now have big hopes for their single.

Freddie Cowan, who added a guitar part, said: "I would love this song to appear at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games.

"The kids would remember it for the rest of their lives.

"It is amazing with the school. I don't do it for any tangible return and I wouldn't say I mentor them - they are the real mentors."

Let the Games Begin was recorded in the East End Social and Chem19 Recording Studio and is now available on iTunes.

Money raised from sales of the single will go to supporting Unicef's work with children in Scotland and other Commonwealth countries.

Tom Burstow, Commonwealth Games Project Director for Unicef UK, said: "Projects like this are not so much about music and sport but to enable children to develop in areas like teamwork and their confidence.'"

The school project has also received support from the Celtic FC Foundation.

Scottish artist Gerard M Burns worked with pupils to create the artwork for the CD cover.

To download the song, visit see https://itun.es/i66Q6jG

catriona.stewart@eveningtimes.co.uk