A CHOIR from the North-East has made it through to the second round of Sainsbury's Choir of the Year 2002.

Northern Spirit, from Durham and Tyneside, was the only adult choir competing in the regional auditions in Newcastle's Tyne Theatre and Opera House last weekend, and went through automatically, but judges praised them as " a very promising and musical choir".

Framwellgate School Choir, Durham, narrowly missed progressing in the youth category.

Northern Spirit faces the national selection stage and the BBC-televised finals to get to the final at London's Royal Albert Hall to compete for the top accolade and £3,000 first prize.