The Hartlepool girl band which is one step away from national glory - and here they are in full song

The Dolls, made up of Frankie Dumville-Anderson, 14, Kitty Skilbeck, Poppy Watt and Grace Owens, all 13, have reached the finals of the National Entertainment Awards in style.

Most entrants must go through the regional stages of the competition to stand any chance of reaching the finals.

But The Dolls qualified as one of the Automatic National Qualifiers in the Best Young Breakthrough Artist category when they polled a massive 3,000 votes in a public vote, said their performing arts academy principal Toni Parker-Harvey.

Now they get to perform live at the finals in February next year.

The band are part of the Miss Toni's Academy Of Music & Performing Arts based in Thomlinson Road in Hartlepool.

It is run by Toni Parker-Harvey who said: “We entered the girls to the National Entertainment Awards during the lockdown and didn’t really think much of it till we saw they had been long listed.

“The first part of the competition is a public vote, so the winner of the public vote would automatically go to the national finals in February and bypass the regional competition. The girls won the vote with almost 3000 votes.

"People were voting from all around the country. The support had been fantastic and Hartlepool has really got behind them.

“The Dolls have been a band for over three years now and are getting better and better all the time and loving every minute.”

The parents of the girls were just as thrilled with their achievements.

Andrew and Michelle Watt said: “We are both overwhelmed that the girls have reached the national final. They work so hard, both on and off stage and its evident when they perform, that they have a special connection with each other.

“With Covid restrictions that were put in place, their busy summer schedule was cancelled. So it’s encouraging for them to be rewarded with a place in the final, off the back of their hard work and support from their loyal followers, friends, family and local community.

"We are both very proud of you all and wish you every success for the final and future performances.”

Tony Anderson said: “I am thrilled to see all their hard work, talent and dedication being recognised nationally.”

Vikki Owens said she was ‘overwhelmed with all the support the girls have had so far. Forever proud of them’.

And Claire Skilbeck said she was ‘amazed at all the support from family friends and public. The girls are so excited to perform at the awards’.

The Dolls have been rising stars for some time now. Just last year, they were finalists in the Best of Hartlepool Young Performer of the Year Awards.

They even organised their very first gig last year to raise funds for a charity close to all of their hearts, which is Diabetes UK.

They planned, organised, promoted, sold tickets all by themselves and ended up with a sell out event, raising over £700 for the charity.

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