A 12-YEAR-OLD girl from Lyme Regis is already making a name for herself as a singer after getting to the finals of the Open Mic UK contest.

Woodroffe pupil Annabel Davies, 12, has already had her nerves tested at the south west regional finals in Bristol earlier this month and at the area finals on Sunday at the NEC in Birmingham.

Annabel said she was thrilled to have got through to the finals.

She said: “It felt really good and I am really, really happy.”

She said it was a challenge to get up and perform in front of so many people but it is one she enjoys.

She said: “I enjoy that pressure and I love the singing for its own sake.

“I’d love to be a performer in the West End. I just love that kind of thing and if stardom comes with the singing then I’d love that too.”

Proud dad Adrian, who was himself a professional musician, said Annabel kept the nerves at bay for an hour and a half while the other 26 contestants performed.

He said: “It was a magical day, really exciting.

“She sang Titanium which is an electronic dance number but she did a very nice acoustic, beautiful lyrical version.

“She was the last one on – 27th – and had to come on after all these people belting out songs from shows and big ballads and she just went up and sang this so beautifully and captivated everybody.

“She is so grown up about it. She just got up and competed with the best of them.”

Mr Davies said Annabel has always loved to sing.

“She has had karaoke machines since she was little, she loves to sing all the time – in fact sometimes when you are trying to get on with some work at half term all you can hear is Adele being sung in the background.”

Although Adele is a favourite, he said, Annabel loves any of the strong ballads and jazz, songs from the shows and is really up to date with pop music.

He said: “It’s her dream to be a professional singer. She has definite ideas where she wants to go with that but luckily she is also very good academically so she gets on with the ‘proper’ stuff as well.

“She has certainly got the talent to take it wherever she wants.”

Annabel goes to the Big Red theatre school in Ottery St Mary and she has lessons with West End professionals.

Annabel is one of five siblings but the only one interested in a singing career, said dad.

Mr Davies said: “We are all immensely proud of her, you should have seen the grins when she got through.”

The final venue has been moved from the O2 but is still taking place on January 18.