POP star Melanie C praised youngsters from Chippenham and Corsham who collected cash for the homeless at her concert on Sunday November 5.

The Spice Girl is donating the proceeds from her new solo single If That Were Me, to a homeless project, No Place Home, being run by Derry Hill-based Kandu Arts and on Sunday she invited more than 50 youngsters who work with the group to her Wembley Arena gig.

The youngsters, from Corsham Youth Club and the North Wiltshire Young People's Theatre Group, Wiltshire Young People in Care Group, Swindon Focus and the Wiltshire Young People in Care group collected more than £700 for the project after the concert.

Melanie told them: "You have all been brilliant. I hope the single is the best one yet and it makes loads of money for the charity.''

Melanie is also donating money from ticket sales from a gig at The Astoria in London on November 27. Virgin Records is giving the project £23,000 in lieu of payment to artists working on the video to promote Melanie's single. The project will work with homeless youngsters in 12 cities across the country, helping them to tell their story to local authorities and charity organisations through music, theatre and dance.

Kandu director Ed Deedigan, who is a friend of Melanie's, said: "What she is doing for us is fantastic and we really appreciate it. The money will make a difference to the work we are doing.

"It was great of her to invite us to the concert and meeting her afterwards was a real thrill for the young people.''