A YOUNG musician hit all the right notes to impress judges at Manchester's prestigious Chetham's School of Music.

Clare Sutlieff, who plays the viola and is a pupil at Blackburn's Westholme School, has been selected to attend the school in Manchester.

The 15-year-old of Ryburn Avenue, Blackburn, took her place at the school, which is the subject of an ITV1 fly-on-the-wall series, after attending auditions at the beginning of the month.

Clare is already a member of the Lancashire Students' Symphony Orchestra, the national orchestra and the National Children's Chamber Orchestra and has been playing since she was four.

Leader of the Westholme Orchestra, Clare has played all over Europe, including concerts in Venice, Prague and Berlin.

Head teacher of Westholme High School, Blackburn, Mrs Lillian Croston said that Clare was the first pupil at Westholme to attend the college.

Mrs Croston said: "It is a wonderful achievement that one of our pupils should have the opportunity to attend one of the top music colleges in the country.

"Clare is a very talented musician but has also worked very hard to achieve what she has done. We are naturally delighted for Clare and hope that she gives it her best shot."

Clare's proud father, Richard, a former professional trumpet player, said: "Clare is a joy to watch simply because she loves music and she adores playing.

"The music is in the blood, which has probably helped Clare come such a long way so soon.

"All the students that attend Chetham's have to be of a very high standard to be able to keep up with the work, which I'm sure Clare will do without any problems."

Clare will study the viola at the specialist sixth form college for two years and then hopes to attend a music college.