CHEMISTRY teacher and hip hop music fan Amer Sheikh came up with a winning formula in setting up an after-school rap group.

Amer works with his pupils at Thornhill School Business and Enterprise College in Sunderland to write and perform rap.

The group, called The Word, have made more than 300 appearances, with messages on the importance of respect, diversity, tolerance, and anti-bullying and racism themes.

For their latest project they have tapped into a new topic which they will premiere at the Evolution musical festival tomorrow on the Quayside.

The Word have been working with Northumbrian Water to put the message across about respecting the precious resource which is water.

Pupils Rachael Usher, 15, Beth Jameson, 15, and Holly Kilner, 14, will perform alongside their teacher at the main Evolution site on Spillers Wharf, at 3.50pm.

Amer aid: “To be able to combine teaching and music, my two great passions, in this way is amazing.

“I am so proud of my students who have been involved in the planning, composition and recording of the rap and we can’t wait to perform it.”