WATCH out Will Young and Gareth Gates you've got serious competition from Rossendale's very own pop icon winner Lareena Edwards.

Lareena is a familiar face in the club scene of Rossendale as one half of duo Souled as Seen with her father, Larry.

She also performs as a solo artist.

The 22-year-old from Elizabeth Street, Whitewell Bottom, now has the chance to make it big after she fought off stiff competition from six finalists who had won through many heats at the Swan Hotel in Bacup.

She said: "I have performed at many local venues and with Souled as Seen I have been to Geneva and Ireland. I just treated the competition as a gig and so I didn't get nervous."

Lareena performed Bette Midler's Wind Beneath My Wings, Dusty Springfield's You Don't Have To Say You Love Me and Amarosi's Absolutely Everybody."

Her prize is £200 and a recording session at Whitworth's Studio Studio when she will perform songs including some specially written by one of the contest organisers singer Annette Carl.

Annette said: "We were delighted with the success of the competition and now we are organising another contest in August for people aged 25 and over with no upper age limit.

"It will also have a £200 prize but this time people must know their songs and we will not be providing karaoke-style words on a screen."

Anyone wanting to take part can contact Terry Swan on 01706 876543.