Romford Pictures: Pupils thrill Romford Liberty shoppers with flash mob

Sebastian Mann

Published: 7:00 AM October 28, 2014

Updated: 12:24 PM October 13, 2020

Callum Murray and Rhiannon Lees, from Dorothy Barley Junior Academy, Dagenham, took part in the Hallowe'en themed flashmob - Credit: Archant

Dozens of schoolchildren shocked shoppers in The Liberty, Romford, with a fearsome flash mob.

More than 60 pupils from Dorothy Barley Junior Academy, Dagenham, descended on the mall on Thursday to surprise bystanders with a rendition of Michael Jackson’s Thriller.

Clad in gruesome garb and smeared with face paint, the nine- to 11-year-olds participated in the 10-minute Hallowe’en-themed performance.

The lunchtime stunt was part of Dorothy Barley’s “11 before 11” scheme, which aims to give kids new and unusual experiences before they go to secondary school.

Lauren O’Connor, the school’s assistant head and “adventure ambassador”, said the project, which has also seen pupils go kayaking on Fairlop Waters and attend concerts at the Royal Albert Hall, included “anything that they wouldn’t get the chance to do normally”.

She said the flash mob, seen by more than 100 shoppers and which also included renditions of Singing in the Rain and It’s Not Unusual, went “really well”.

She added: “It was wonderful – even the challenging pupils, shall we say, were enthusiastic and loved every minute of it. Lots of them didn’t think they’d be able to do it – but really did themselves proud.”