Pop singer Kate Bush has offered to pay for an Oxford choir which sang with her on a film soundtrack to go to the movie when it is released.

As reported in the Oxford Mail, Ms Bush joined forces with boys from Magdalen College School choir to record a song for the new film The Golden Compass.

The movie, which opens in cinemas next month, is the film version of Northern Lights, the first book in the award-winning fantasy trilogy by Oxford author Philip Pullman.

The film stars Nicole Kidman and the new James Bond, Daniel Craig.

The song, Lyra, was written and produced by Kate Bush.

The piece is named after the lead character, Lyra Belacqua, who is played in the movie by Dakota Blue Richards.

Claire Ferguson, who works with the choir, said: "Kate recorded her vocal track separately but she did come into the school to work with the boys."

Choir director Bill Ives said: "She recorded her part at Abbey Road studios and they sent a mobile unit up to us at the college.

"The boys recorded their part over the top of the track.

"Ms Bush came along to see the boys because it was her song and she wanted to meet them. She was lovely, very quiet and altogether charming, and the boys were very excited to meet her."

Magdalen School College choir is made up of 16 boys, aged nine to 13, and 12 men, although only the boys sang on Lyra.

Mr Ives added: "It's a very pretty song and will feature on the end credits of The Golden Compass.

"The boys are thrilled to be singing on the soundtrack because many have read the book, Northern Lights.

"On top of that, Kate Bush has very kindly offered to pay for them all to go and see the film when it comes out, so we will be taking them for a treat."

Kate Bush, who is probably best known for her number one hit Wuthering Heights in 1978, was recording her first new material since 2005.

Mr Pullman, who now lives in Cumnor, is working on a follow-up to the trilogy, which is expected to be called The Book of Dust.