BUDDING rock guitarist Blain Cousin wields his mighty axe after stealing the high note in a mighty music competition.

The 15-year-old guitarist won a fabulous Washburn MG 800 instrument - as played by ex-Whitesnake stars Bernie Marsden and Mickey Moody - after entering a competition at Rimmers music store in Darwen Street, Blackburn.

All he had to do to enter was pick a packet of lucky strings out of a box at the store.

The youngster, from Rochdale, intends to form his own band.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.