Pixie Lott gives surprise charity performance at Bromley school

The singer, 23, who grew up in the borough, got up on stage at Ravens Wood School in front of around 600 adoring pupils in a morning assembly.

The concert was in aid of Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), an organisation dedicated to reducing heart-related deaths in young people, which the star is a patron of.

Pixie said: “It affects so many young people and it’s crazy that a seemingly fit and young person can just drop down dead. I think it’s important to spread the word.”

She added she enjoys spending time in schools and was happy to be back in her home area, telling News Shopper: “I love going and meeting all the children – that’s how I met Alison (CRY founder and chief executive).

“This is really close to where I used to live – I was driving through and it brought back good memories.”

Students were glowing with excitement as Pixie sang and answered their questions, before talking a bit about what the organisation does.

A former pupil at the school, Ben Daniels, in 2011 died suddenly aged just 15 while playing football and his dad Paul, from Bickley, has been campaigning ever since. Another past student Matt Beadle, who knew Pixie during his time at the Italia Conti School, Chislehurst, died tragically in 2012.

Mr Daniels has seen £80,000 raised in memory of his son and said Pixie’s involvement is great to see, adding: “It's Pixie’s passion and enthusiasm for CRY that continues to bring people together in our common cause of saving young people's lives and remembering those, like Ben, that have died.”

Pixie went on to perform and answer questions at Thomas Moore Secondary School in Eltham where a friend of her sister, who tragically died at just 17, was a student.

CRY reports around 12 young people with no sign of health problems die from undetected heart defects and carries out regular screenings to try to prevent these tragedies.

The charity’s founder and CEO, Alison Cox MBE, said: “I think it’s absolutely amazing Pixie supports us – it’s fantastic for schools and tremendous for the charity.”