Ding dong Kimberley! CAROLS: Smiling faces soon have shoppers' cash rolling in for Mail's charity fund.

Byline: By Will Oliphant

TEENAGE X Factor finalist Kimberley Southwick helped spread festive cheer at the Birmingham Mail's Christmas Carol Concert.

The 19-year-old singer joined youngsters from choirs at St Mary's Church, in Moseley, and the St David's Church Youth Music Group, in Moseley Green, for the event at the Pallasades shopping centre on Saturday.

Tamworth's Kimberley, who was men-tored by Sharon Osborne on the hit ITV show, dazzled Christmas shoppers with some of her favourite carols, including Silent Night and Ding Dong Merrily on High.

"It was fantastic, I really enjoyed it," said Kimberley.

"I'm not that great at singing carols, but I had lots of support from the choirs and it was a great day.

"It's a bit different from singing on the X Factor, but it was great fun and it was a good way to get into the Christmas spirit and raise money for a good cause."

Bethany Everett, aged 14, from the St Mary's choir, said: "It was a really good show and we really enjoyed it.

"It was pretty cool to be singing on stage with an X Factor star."

Bob Cheel, aged 16, from St David's, said: "It was great.

"A lot of the people in our group haven't done a lot of singing before and we're quite new, but they did really well and I'm very proud of them."

The Dean of Birmingham Cathedral, the Very Rev Bob Wilkes, gave a blessing at the event.

"I think's it's really good to have an event like this and to have people out in public spreading good cheer and celebrating a Christian festival. This is what Christmas is all about," he said.

Steve Dyson, Birmingham Mail editor, said: "It was a great to have two great choirs in Birmingham city centre singing their hearts out to bring festive cheer to everyone and to help raise hundreds of pounds for the Birmingham Mail Charity Trust.

Security guards Pete Connor and Matt Tidy, from the Birmingham Post and Mail building, were rattling buckets at the event, and donated a day's pay.

CAPTION(S):

ON SONG... the Birmingham Mail Christmas Carol Celebration. Right, Jacob Welcome pipes up. Photosales No.: JP221207Carol-04; Photosales No.: JP221207Carol-11; FANS... Kimberley singing with St. Mary's choristers Katherine Barwell, Mei-Ling Rhodes and Daisy Lloyd Photosales No.: JP221207Carol-02; SOUNDS LIKE CHRISTMAS... Jasbir Authi and Jenny Welby, from the Birmingham Mail, rattle the collecting buckets at the Pallasades. Photosales No.: JP221207Carol-09