THERE will be tears of pride in their eyes in Kirkby Stephen tomorrow night when a 16-year-old local schoolgirl sings on national television.

Amanda Tinkler, of Kirkby Stephen Grammar School, looks set to take the junior edition of ITV's hit series Stars In Their Eyes by storm when she steps out of the dry ice in the guise of songstres Nelly Furtado.

Although parents Marilyn and Steve are keeping mum about the outcome of the contest, they said they couldn't be more proud and have arranged a special party complete with big screens for more than 300 people to watch the programme when it is beamed across the nation.

The riding enthusiast, who lists Hopelessly Devoted To You, by Olivia Newton John, as one of her favourite songs, has been singing her heart out since the age of four in Sunday school and village concerts.

But the news she had made it onto the junior version of the hit TV series came as a ray of light to the Tinkler family during the black days of foot-and-mouth.

"It was just the news we had been waiting for," said Mrs Tinkler.

"We heard she had got onto the show right in the middle of the outbreak.

Amanda' s grandfather is a farmer and it has kept him going.

He was thrilled to bits for her.

It has been lovely for the area and the response from everyone in the town has been brilliant."

Amanda had to spend hours with make-up and wardrobe experts who tailor-made her "Furtado" costume for the performance along with a special £2,000 wig to hide her blonde hair.

Mrs Tinkler said: " At first she was a bit apprehensive but after the first day she came back and said she had had the most fantastic day and wasn't going to be nervous anymore."

But, despite the exhausting days and time-consuming travel to the London studio and back, the schoolgirl still managed to sit and pass ten GCSEs with flying colours.

The dedicated J-Lo fan, who has a 14-year-old sister Kim, has built up a repertoire of more than 60 songs over the years and her ambition is to be a singer.

"We are all quite musical and there was always music around when she was growing up.

Her dad was in a band when he was younger," said Mrs Tinkler.

The junior edition of ITV's hit series Stars In Their Eyes will be broadcast tomorrow (Saturday).