AFTER a violin-playing six-year-old won a music competition for  under 18s her teachers are wondering if they have a child prodigy on their hands.

Katy Sludds, a year one pupil at Polam Hall School in Darlington, won first prize in the under 18s violin solo category at the Darlington Music and Drama Festival.

Katy has been playing violin since she was three-years-old and is working towards her Grade One, while she is also learning to play the piano.

Competition judges at the festival - which was held at Hummersknott School - praised Katy's rendition of Mattachins Arbeau, with an adjudicator from the British & International Federation of Festivals, writing: "Well done Katy on your unaccompanied performance. It was a strong and confident performance."

Katy said: "I was really excited to take part in the festival and couldn't believe I had won."

Caroline Law, director of music at Polam Hall, added: "Katy has done remarkably well to win first prize in this category. She has a real gift for music and I will look forward to welcoming her to the senior orchestra in September, even though she will be only seven years old."