BEWDLEY Youth Festival is set to host the third annual music competition for young musicians living or attending school in Wyre Forest.

The competition is open to youngsters aged between 13 and 18, as of December 31, 2016.

Heats for the competition will take place during the afternoon of Saturday, February 11.

During the heats, finalists will be chosen who will then perform again at a gala concert in the evening, from 7pm - at which the Young Musician of the Year will be chosen and the winner of the prize for Best Original Composition will be announced.

Both the afternoon heats and the gala concert will be held at St George’s Hall.

The categories for the competition include Classical Musician Section, Solo Instrumentalist, Solo Singer and Group.

In addition, there will also be prizes for the Helen Mackaness Award for the Wyre Forest Young Musician of the Year and the Bewdley Youth Festival prize for Best Original Composition.

A spokesman for the event said: “All the senior schools in the Wyre Forest area have been approached regarding the competition to match that of last year when the overall Wyre Forest Young Musician of the Year award went to Kidderminster’s Ellisha Green.

“Ellisha will be performing a set during the evening gala while the judges are deliberating.”

The deadline to enter the competition is Monday (February 6) by post or email competition@byfest.org.uk.

Entry to watch the heats is free and tickets to the evening gala are £5.

For more information and how to apply, visit bewdleyyouthfestival.org.uk.