SEVEN youngsters did vocal battle in the final of the Young Soprano of the Year competition.

A live audition final was held on Monday night to determine the winner.

Seven youngsters sang in front of a panel of judges in the final of the competition, which is supported by The Northern Echo, at Darlington's Elm Ridge Methodist Church.

The finalists were Eleanor Firth, 17, from Darlington, Rosalind Hoare, 16, from Durham, Sarah Kelly, 14, from Stanley, Sanaz Lavasani, 15, from Kirklevington, near Yarm, Beth Miller, 16, from Guisborough, Amy Weston Purvis, 16, from Middleton One Row, near Darlington, and Anna Whitehouse, 16, from West Rainton, near Durham.

But in the end it was Sanaz, a member of the Stagecoach group in Yarm, who came out on top, with her rendition of Tonight, from West Side Story, which she also sang at last month's Positive Young People Awards in Darlington.

The talented teenager will perform two songs at the Last Night of the Proms concert at Darlington's Dolphin Centre, next month.

Having only been singing seriously for a year, Sanaz did not expect to win.

She said: "I really didn't expect to win and it was such a surprise when I got it."

She had only entered after Trudy Hindmarsh, who runs Stagecoach, sent her an application form.

"I thought I would be nervous, but as soon as I started singing, then all te nerves disappeared."

As runner-up Sarah, winner of last year's contest, has been invited to perform at the Promenade for Youth concert, which takes place the evening before the Proms concert.

In joint third place on Monday night were Eleanor and Rosalind