TWO Rotary Clubs have launched a competition to find the most talented young musicians in the area - doing Farnham proud was Zofeyah Aspinwall, who gained first place.

Zofeyah, 15, is a pianist – her sister Rebekah, 17, from Alton College also entered the competition playing the guitar. The second-placed competitor was vocalist Annabel Hanssen, 17, a pupil at Alton Convent, who also lives in Farnham.

Third-place went to Four Marks resident Lydia Jones, 15, who played the piano. Also competing was Eleanor Austin, 15, and Freya MacKenzie, 16.

Zofeyah and Annabel were delighted to have won and will now compete with winners of other local competitions across Wessex later this month. The national final of the competition will be in May.

The chairman of judges, Karen Pepper, commended the standard of the entries and the variety of the performances.

She said she and her fellow-judges, Dennis Janaway and Ernest Piper, were pleased that the local Rotary clubs had launched this competition, which took place at Alton College.

Organisers, Neil Woollacott of Alton Rotary and Lisa Hillan of Four Marks and Medstead Rotary, said they were delighted at the way local schools had responded to this opportunity and wished the winners well in the next round of the competition.

The organisers are already planning next year’s competition. The winners were presented with certificates by the presidents of the two Rotary clubs, Keith Arrowsmith-Oliver and Roy Roberts.