A young performer from North Norfolk is aiming for the stars after winning through to the regional finals of a national talent competition.

Singer Mercedes Faiers, 17, from Roughton, sailed through auditions for the Britain Does Variety show in Kettering, Northamptonshire, and is now set to appear in a live show as part of the regional final heats at Kettering's Lighthouse Theatre on Sunday, May 1.

Britain Does Variety, which is being run by Kerry Kenton-Clarke, creator of starsinmyeyes.tv, and Channel Five television presenter Dave Payne, is touring the nation in an effort to find Britain's real talent and local acts from ventriloquists to comedians, mime artists and animal acts.

Mercedes, who is currently studying to be a midwife at Paston College in North Walsham, said: 'I really enjoy singing, I have done from a very young age and hope to be a professional singer one day.'

She won through to the regional finals singing Adele's Someone Like You.

In 2007, Mercedes, then aged 13, was the youngest performer at the annual variety show held at the Auden Theatre in Holt. In the same year she also appeared at London's 02 Arena with the Girl Guides Association.

At the regional finals of Britain Does Variety, the best acts will make it through to the national grand final in June to compete for a host of prizes including the chance to play the O2 Indigo, as well as the chance for at least one act to be showcased in front of the entertainment directors of some of the world's biggest and most prestigious cruise lines.