TWO talented Royal Marines musicians from the North-East are to take part in a music festival at the Royal Albert Hall, London.

Steven Richardson, of South Shields, Tyneside, and Jennifer Coupland, of Redcar, east Cleveland, are among those chosen to take part in this year's Mountbatten Festival of Music, which runs until Sunday.

Steven, 20, gained a music scholarship to Gordonstoun School, Scotland, and is now in the second year of a three-year training programme at the Royal Marines School of Music, where he is studying double bass, bass guitar and the tuba.

Jennifer, 18, joined the Marines after leaving Rye Hills School, Redcar. A former member of Redcar and Cleveland Youth Orchestra, she plays the cornet and the violin.

She said: "I was lucky enough to come across the opportunities the Marines had to offer at a local careers night. I thought I might find the non-musical side tough, but with the excellent fitness regimes you find yourself achieving goals you never thought possible."