A POIGNANT piece of music penned by a talented student has been used in a video commemorating an extraordinary event in the First World War.

Joe Shepherd, a Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts student, created the moving piece for UEFA's touching tribute to the Christmas Truce, when British and German soldiers laid down their weapons on December 25, 1914, and played football.

The anniversary video re-tells the story and is narrated by sport stars Wayne Rooney, Real Madrid's Gareth Bale and Germany's World Cup winning captain, Philipp Lahm.

Joe, of Riccall, wrote the music and played piano in the piece, entitled Time, for his Nettwerk Music Group label, which was picked by UEFA from a world-wide list of entrants and played before Champions League games in some of Europe's best stadiums.

The 22-year-old said: "UEFA came down to London to speak to me while I recorded it.

"There's a bit of luck involved because there was competition from across the world, but I was really happy when I heard it was going to be used.

"UEFA said there was hope and peace in the music and it fitted in quite well with the video.

"I've been signed with Nettwerk Music Group for a year now and it's great to get this break-through and exposure to help get my name out there.

"Hopefully it's going to open up a lot of doors for me."

The former Bootham School pupil started playing piano aged 11 and says he drew a lot of inspiration from working at his parents' home, which looks out on to vast fields reminiscent of those troops fought on throughout the Great War.

He added: "I used to hate classical music but it's amazing how it has come back into my life and I'm thankful to my teachers for giving me the training that's got me to where I am today."