NZ Idol winner Ben Lummis had ``goose bumps'' when he performed on stage with a talented Whangarei youngster at the weekend.
Onerahi Primary School student Petra Stewart, 10, won the honour of performing with Lummis, at the school's Spring Gala on Saturday, by winning the school's talent quest.
Gala committee member Ken
Kawiti said the crowd was "absolutely spellbound" as Lummis and Petra sang You can't take that away.
"Ben said singing with her (Petra) gave him the goose bumps," Mr Kawiti said.
Six lucky kids also got to enjoy lunch and a limo ride around Onerahi with the idol star, who spent a great deal of time talking with fans and signing autographs.
"It was hysteria when he arrived, the kids were screaming and crying. The kids were just buzzing, they couldn't stop talking," Mr Kawiti said.
Lummis had been a major drawcard and a big help at the gala, which was raising funds for the junior school's playground, he said.
Other activities, at the gala, including "dunking the principal" and a range of different cultural foods kept the large crowd, about 2000 to 3000 at any one time, busy and fed during the day.
"It was an overwhelming success and has raised the profile of the school and the community," Mr Kawiti said.
The gala had a real family and community atmosphere to it, he said.
It had grossed about $18,000 and was expected to make a net profit of about $12,000.
