Girl band Sparkle aim to dazzle at awards night

Sparkle Lily Gowland, back left, Holly Bentham, back centre, Lottie Willis, back right and Campbell Daniels, kneeling

And if the four-piece band do just that, it will be yet another triumph for this rapidly rising act.

The girls – Holly Bentham, 13, and 12-year-olds Campbell Daniels, Lottie Willis and Lily Gowland – have been nominated in the Performer of the Year category of the Best of Hartlepool Awards.

All four are students at the MTA academy,in Park Road, Hartlepool, which is run by Toni Parker-Harvey. Toni said: “It is still less than two years since they first got together and they have had so many highlights. They have been in two national finals of Teenstar and Open Mic in a contest of more than 9000 people.

“They are currently in the grand final of the Beyond The Lights competition and shortlisted for the Future Is Bright awards.”

On top of all that, the band is in demand at festivals and will be performing at MTA’s show on March 5. Toni added: “They have done amazingly well. The feedback that they get from everyone is brilliant. To be able to sing with the harmonies they do, it is so easy for them.”

Sparkle join a growing list of entries for this year’s competition. The Best of Hartlepool awards are being held in association with Niramax, and in which Specsavers, Stagecoach North East and Hart Biologicals are category sponsors. The deadline for entries is Saturday, April 2. Then judges will draw up a shortlist.

After that, it’s on to the grand finale at the Hardwick Hall Hotel on Tuesday, April 26.

The awards will honour unsung stars. To nominate, send your name, address and telephone number, the name of the business or person you wish to nominate, along with their address, telephone number and email (if known)

State which category your nomination applies to (from the list of categories) and provide a description of the reasons for your nomination (no more than 300 words) Post your nomination to: Nicola Meldrum, Alexander House, Second Floor, Rainton Bridge Business Park, Houghton-le-Spring, Sunderland. DH4 5RA, alternatively email: [email protected] or [email protected].