ONE of the North's top showcases for musical and dramatic talent is offering a special deal for those who are quick off the mark.

Harrogate Competitive Festival of Music, Speech and Drama closes to entries on New Year's Eve, but organisers hope to have most of the expected 1,000 applications completed before Christmas.

So, as an incentive to booking early, those who enter by Saturday will receive a discount of £1.50 off the entry fee.

The festival, which has 200 classes for musicians, singers, actors and elocution specialists - as well as barbershop singers and handbell ringers - is held over the first three weekends in March at St John Fisher Roman Catholic High School, Harrogate.

It attracts contestants from across Yorkshire and the North-East and is acknowledged as one of the leaders in its field.

The highlight is a concert on the final Sunday at which leading piano, string, woodwind, brass and percussion instrumentalists compete for the title of Young Musician of the Year.