YOUNG Latvian Magda Ozolina is already making her presence felt in Padiham -- after joining a Pop Stars: The Rivals style band.

Magda, 12, came to East Lancashire with her parents last year and has formed the band, Personality, with fellow Gawthorpe High School pupils Kelly Robinson, 17, and Emma Walker, 16.

The group is managed by Magda's mum Mya, who worked in theatres in their home city of Riga, and her father Ainars, who is a trained music teacher.

The couple donate five nights a week to help the girls become international stars.

Personality recently performed in front of hundreds of people at a Gawthorpe Hall concert which went down a storm.

Magda's parents produced and recorded the show.

This week the group again performed at the Nazareth Unitarian Chapel to gain a standing ovation from the packed audience.

Ainars creates all the backing tracks and records all the concerts and gigs that the group play.

Mya said: "We desperately need sponsors to help fund the band.

"People do not realise how much money it costs for the equipment to produce CDs and create backing music.

"We send the CDs to family back in Latvia and to people who enjoy their music. Magda has been singing and has been on stage since the age of three.

"She was born to do it and if we can help these girls make it to the top then we will do our best to give them our support in whatever way we can." Personality have a mixture of musical directions, singing traditional songs by Igo -- a popular Latvian artist -- and Whitney Huston classics.

Mya added: "Magda likes singing both English and Latvian songs and Emma and Kelly have learnt how to sing Latvian songs, which they think is great."

The group are now looking for Christmas gigs to play at and new members to join the band.

Auditions for potential singers will be held in the main hall at Nazareth Unitarian Chapel, Knight Hill, Padiham from 5pm on Monday, November 18, Wednesday, November 20 and Saturday, November 23.

For more information contact Mya on 07815541651.