Published: Wednesday, 3rd February, 2010 12:00pm

Ayr's Nicola is On Song

by Roisin McGroarty

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TOP singing sensation Nicola Cassells will be wowing Ayr with her voice after winning a national talent competition.

Nicola was crowned champion in the British Retail Trust 'Search for a Star' after weeks of hard work.

And Nicola, who works at HM Samuels store in Ayr High Street, will be making her return to Ayr's stage at a special fundraising concert.

The 19-year-old will be back with Ayr Arts Guild to raise cash for the group's Bill Grierson Fund.

The fund, set up in memory of the Guild's much-loved founding chairman, the late Bill Grierson, helps youngsters attending intensive courses in the arts - with particular emphasis on summer courses in drama.

Guild chair Marilyn de Blieck will also be singing on the night and joined by pianist Alison Christie and a quartet of young singing soloists for an hour-long programme.

Nicola will also heavily feature after she went all the way to London and beat off strong competition to emerge as UK winner. She has been singing with Ayrshire Voices in the South Ayrshire Youth Choir and as a prominent soloist for several years, and studies with Marilyn.

Among the other soloists are Mia Wilson and Sarah Ross of Prestwick who both feature in leading roles in Prestwick Academy's summer term production 'Les Miserables', and the fourth member of the quartet, Laura Scott, has already benefited from a Grierson Award to study music-theatre on a prestigious summer course in London.

This week Marilyn said: "Since the Grierson fund was set up shortly after Bill's death, many young people have benefited from the award to stretch themselves and develop their artistic skills. As current Guild chair, following in the footsteps of my distinguished predecessor, I felt that the time was right to boost the Fund so that the Guild can increase the money available to provide scholarships in the future."

More details in this week's paper.