TWO Thornton stars have been plucked from local performances to represent the region in a prestigious musical festival.

Singer Jane Wilkinson, 16, and 49-year-old drama student Janice Riseley were chosen from all the first prize winners at their different events at Blackpool, Fleetwood and Lytham festivals and will represent Blackpool and Fleetwood respectively.

They will now join 4,000 other musicians, dancers and singers from around the country to perform at the Millennium Festival at Leeds this November.

The festival is one of the largest gatherings of amateur talent in music, dance and drama with competitors from all around the globe expected to take part.

Major UK celebrities are lending their name to the event include Michael Parkinson, Lesley Garrett, Richard Whitely and Richard Wilson.

Jane (pictured) has been singing since she first got bitten by the bug after performing at the Fleetwood Festival aged just nine and is no stranger to winning.

"I've always loved singing, since I was small and as well as singing solo I also sing with the National Youth Choir.

"At the first Fleetwood festival I took part in I sang a song called 'Rat-a-tat-tat' and I won the top prize on my very first time," she said.

This year her performance of the grade seven rated song "The Foxglove" netted her the highest points total and consequently a place at the Leeds festival. Although she has yet to pick which song she will perform, Jane is already in preparation.

"I don't have a sort of practise time everyday, I just sing when I feel like it.

"I also play the flute and am actually grade five on the piano. "But at the moment I am revising for my GCSEs and so it has to take a bit of a back seat."

Jane currently attends the soon-to-be closed Elmslie Girls' School and plans to take her A-levels at Rossall.

Janice Riseley earned her place at the Leeds festival with her drama solo taken from Shakespeare's Henry VIII.

Balancing her drama with her career as a civil servant, Janice is also a key leader at a large Sunday school group and a youth group, of which Jane is also a member.

Janice turned to drama after her singing career was cut short.

"I always loved to sing, but unfortunately asthma forced me to give up my 35-year career.

"I decided I wanted to carry on performing, but in something different so I went for classes with Susan Sieradski, and my career just took off," she said. Janice was picked from both the Lytham and Fleetwood festivals and so will be performing two pieces in Leeds.

She is now studying for her diploma in teaching drama.

Festival chief executive Liz Whitehead praised the work of young performers.

"This festival will provide the very best of amateur talent with the national stage it deserves," she said.