A CHRISTMAS charity single featuring a talented teenager Chester is being backed by a Hollywood star, a former top rugby player and one of the most respected figures in football.

Actor Jonathan Pryce, who originally hails from Holywell, recorded a personal plea on YouTube asking the public to buy a copy and support the cause.

It was recorded at the state-of-the-art recording studios at independent girls school Howells School, Denbigh, by a cast of unsigned professional artists alongside girls from the school.

The Howell’s pupils who sing on the single include 15-year-old Chelsea Grimshaw, from Chester.

Among the high-profile people to join the cause are French rugby league international Jerome Guisset and Gordon Taylor, the chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association.

The single is a cover version of Iridescent by US group Linkin Park and is aiming to take on the might of The X Factor in the race for the number one spot in the chart at Christmas.

Released by InScreen Records under the band name Project Underdog, the single aims to raise funds for communities devastated by the summer’s inner city riots.

Jonathan Pryce is one of Hollywood’s busiest actors, with a long list of screen credits.

He played Governor Weatherby Swann opposite Johnny Depp’s captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean series of films.

In the YouTube video, he said: “I am asking you to support Project Underdog by buying the Christmas single, Iridescent.”

Jerome Guisset, who played more than 120 times for Warrington Wolves before ending his playing career at Catalan Dragons, has also left a message of support on YouTube.

He said: “The riots were about teenagers and kids in uproar because nothing was set up for them, they could not achieve what they wanted and there was no light at the end of the tunnel.

“In sport you can’t take shortcuts, that’s a big lesson you have to learn in professional sport. The single is something that’s a big thing to get behind.

“The more people that buy it the more we can help the people affected by, and involved in, the riots.”

The charity single was the brainchild of InScreen Records chief executive officer Jo Lloyd.