A YOUNG singer is to represent Wales in two prestigious talent competitions.

Eighteen-year-old Elizabeth Tiley, of Blenheim Road, Six Bells - who only began having singing lessons at the age of 16 - won the Welsh final of the Festival4Stars talent competition in June.

Then last week she also won the Welsh final of the Search for a Star competition.

She will now represent Wales in the national finals of both competitions. Elizabeth, who achieved an A in music, a B in music technology and a B in English language and literature in her recent A-levels, is now to start studying for a degree in music at Cardiff University.

She then hopes to follow a career in music theatre. Her mother Anne said: "We are just so proud of her. She has her feet firmly on the ground."

She added that Elizabeth had been up against strong competition from prestigious stage and theatre schools in London and Surrey.

Elizabeth said she was "really, really pleased" to have won the competitions and was looking forward to representing Wales.

"After my three years at Cardiff I would love to do a post-graduate musical theatre course in London and eventually to perform in the West End," she added.

Elizabeth is also a talented musician, who has achieved Grade 8 distinction for violin and her Grade 7 piano.