AN international visitor will help judge Darlington and Northallerton Rotary Clubs' young musician competition this month.

Ingbert Bluthner, president of Leipzig Rotary Club, in Germany, will fly in for the event and will loan one of his company's grand pianos.

Bluthner is a name famous throughout the world for manufacturing pianos, and the company is still managed by the family who founded it 150 years ago, despite enduring two world wars and the communist occupation of Leipzig where it is based.

This is the 12th annual competition organised by the two rotary clubs and it has attracted more than 50 entries from some of the finest young musicians in the region.

The competition takes place on Saturday, November 20, in the Liddiard Theatre, at Polam Hall School, Darlington, with the preliminary rounds starting at 9am.

Each group winner will then compete in a concert at the end of the day to establish the overall winner.

Darlington Mayor Councillor Roderick Francis, the chairman of Hambleton District Council Councillor David Smith together with Herr Bluthner and the two rotary club presidents will present prizes and certificates.

Tickets are adults £4 and children £1, and are available from Darlington Rotarians.