A WOMAN from Churchill has beaten hundreds of hopefuls to make it through to the regional finals of a national singing competition.

Dymphna Skehill, aged 43, of Churchill Green, will appear at a regional final of the Open Mic UK auditions in Bristol on Sunday.

The former Churchill Academy School drama teacher now runs her own youth theatre, The Actors Zone, for children in Churchill and surrounding villages.

The Open Mic competition sees singers battle it out in a head-to-head format, with winners from Sunday’s heats making it through to the national final at London’s 02 Arena.

Dymphna said: “Over the past few years on the open mic scene I’ve met quite a few people and even started writing my own songs with a guitarist I met called Richard Riley.

“I’d never written a song before but it went so well that we decided to make an album of the songs we came up with so I’m going to sing one of them for the final.

“It’s not like I’m just starting out and for me it’s now or never.

“I’m just hoping that all the hard work I’ve put into the songs with Richard and on the local music scene over the past few years will see me through to the final in London.”