A WORCESTER teenager is one step closer to winning an exclusive recording contract after reaching the regional semi-finals of a national music contest.

Ten thousand singers and bands have been performing across the country in 12 regional auditions of Live and Unsigned, and 14-year-old Sadi Ebbon is one of the 15 hopefuls to make it through to the Midlands regional semi-finals.

"I feel excited but nervous," said the Nunnery Wood High School student, from Shaftesbury Green, Warndon Villages. "It did not really hit me until I saw my mum running around the house and very excited."

The competition is the biggest music talent search outside ITV's X-Factor, and competitors are encouraged to be individual and original with an aim to find potential recording artists.

The prize is a £20,000 contract to record and release a single with Future Music. Sadi's mum, Angela, said she was completely shocked when her husband told her the news. "I am absolutely gobsmacked. My adrenalin has not stopped flowing, we really did not expect this.

"She is always singing, and friends are always telling her to shut up. I have always told her go to as many auditions as possible.

"We did not expect to find ourselves here, it feels like she has won to us."

Sadi must now prepare for the next round of auditions on Friday, March 15, when she will perform in front of a live audience to win one of the three places in the regional final.