THERE are just two weeks to go until the grand final of South Ribble Borough Council's Search for a Star competition.

For one lucky performer, the £200 prize money is getting closer and closer, and in the run-up to the big event The Citizen has been featuring two singers each week.

This week it's the turn of Laura Groves, from Hurst Brook, Coppull, and Lindsay Ritson of Hedgerows Road, Ulnes Walton, near Leyland.

Laura, 20, will be hoping to impress the judges with her rendition of Stuck in the Middle, by Louise. Laura said: "I've sung it before in places and people have said I sound like her. I did a few competitions, and I do a bit of singing in pubs, but we'll have to wait and see what happens with this one."

When she's not singing Laura works in Tesco's in Chorley, so will be a familiar face to pub goers and shoppers alike!

"I have done a few shows, so some people might recognise me," said Lindsay.

Among the talented singers Laura will be facing on Friday, November 15 in the final, will be Lindsay Ritson.

Lindsay, 22, will be appearing as Alana Miles, to sing Black Velvet, one of her favourite songs.

She said: "I love singing that song. I've entered quite a few other competitions, and I also go for singing lessons. I've been doing that for two-and-a-half years."

Lindsay knows she'll be coming up against some tough competition in the contest and will have to be on top form, but she doesn't mind singling out her opponents for praise.

She explained: "There was a woman there at the auditions who was really good, singing Anastasia, and the girl who was doing Eva Cassidy was great too."

Lindsay works full time for a local delivery firm when not wowing audiences with her voice and started singing at school when she overcame her shyness.

She said: "I didn't do a lot of singing, but I did the odd show or a choir. I was quite shy and I'm getting more confident.

"The more singing I was doing, and the more different places I was singing, the more confident I would get."