POP stardom beckons for a trio of North-East singers after they saw an appeal in The Northern Echo to join a new pop group.

Gemma Dowson, 19, from Newton Aycliffe, Eve Lowther, 17 and Janine Andrew, 18, both from Billingham, have all been selected for the new all female pop group Raw Silk.

Gemma, Eve and Janine were just three of 150 girls to reply to the article last month, and after a series of auditions they were asked to join the group with 16-year-old, Aimee Swales, from Sunderland.

The group have signed a development deal from Genius Management and have been offered a production deal from O2 Digital Recording Studios, in Stockton.

Gemma said: "As soon as I saw the appeal in The Northern Echo I knew that I had to go for it, so I rang up and was selected for an audition.

"I never thought I would be asked to join the group it was a fantastic moment for me when I found out I had been selected.

"It's been my dream since I was eight to be a popstar and hopefully now I am going to live that dream."

Material from songwriters, who pen songs for the Backstreet Boys, Boyzone and Samantha Mumba, is ready for the band to record.

A Genius Management spokesman said: "It is a credit to us that people who write for these big names want to work with the girls."

Genius Management, in Dipton, near Stanley, County Durham, manages North-East boy band X-Poze.

The group has been supporting A1 and Hear'Say at events throughout the summer and similar performances are being lined up for Raw Silk

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