A FORMER Weymouth woman who wowed audiences as a young theatre star is in the spotlight again as she sings on television with the Proms Military Wives Choir led by Gareth Malone.

Helen Pugh, 42, was selected to be part of a 100-strong choir which performed a unique First World War commemoration concert as part of the Proms season back in August.

The story of the choir’s journey to the Royal Albert Hall in London is the subject of a new BBC documentary, the first part of which will be shown tomorrow.

The Military Wives Choirs Foundation was launched following the success of the 2011 hit single ‘Wherever You Are’ performed by a group also led by choirmaster Mr Malone.

It prompted a number of military choirs to be set up including one in Winchester, which Helen joined when her husband Steve was stationed in the area.

Helen successfully auditioned earlier this year to be part of a group that sang at the Proms – an experience she described as a ‘once in a lifetime’ event.

The sell-out concert was on the eve of the 100th anniversary of the day Britain entered the war. The choir was joined by life-size puppets from the National Theatre’s production of ‘War Horse’.

Helen, whose maiden name is Mitchell, grew up in Weymouth and has always enjoyed singing.

She was a member of youth theatre group WOW and, later, Weymouth Operatic Workshop.

Helen has been used to moving around as a military wife and always seized the opportunity to join signing groups.

She now lives in West Moors with her husband of 18 years Steve, also a Weymouth man, and children Emily, 15, and James, 13.

Helen, who works in a pre-school, said: “There are now 80 military wives choirs and 42 of those were represented in the Proms choir. I was lucky enough to be the only one selected from Winchester choir.

“As well as doing the concert we appeared live on Newsnight and on Radio 3 for the launch of the Proms.

“It was such a fantastic experience and really appropriate that the concert specifically remembered the role that women and music played during the First World War.”

She added: “Gareth Malone was great to work with; so inspirational. He’s very hard-working and knows exactly how to get the best out of people. I felt I learnt a lot.

“And as a classically trained singer, to appear at the Albert Hall is a dream come true.”

The first part of the documentary will be shown on Tuesday, December 16 at 9pm on BBC2, with the second part on Christmas Eve at 8.30pm. The Prom will be broadcast on Boxing Day at 5.30pm.