Richard BatsonNorfolk-born band The Sharps have found a silver lining to the cloud of missing out on a place in a national talent competition.Richard Batson

Norfolk-born band The Sharps have found a silver lining to the cloud of missing out on a place in a national talent competition.

The Sharps, whose student members aged 19 and 20 met when they were at Aylsham High School, got through two rounds of the Live and Unsigned competition.

But they lost their dream of appearing in the final at the O2 arena, at the semi final, hampered by having to re-jig the line up after their drummer badly damaged a shoulder in a mountain-biking accident.

But the publicity they had along the way, which was increased because of drummer Sam Evans' problems, has earned them the competition's prize for media exposure.

The band won �900 worth of Marshall amplification through the stories, which were also promoted by North Norfolk PR agency The Publicity Works.

Sharps guitarist Darby Dorras said 'Winning the exposure award is a bit of compensation for missing out on the final.'

Hear the Sharps at www.myspace.com/thesharps