A TALENTED teenage musician will have his songwriting skills honed by one of the biggest names in the industry.

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin will mentor Phil Adams, 18, as he attempts to break into the music business.

Phil was one of thousands of applicants in the Make It, Break It awards, a competition aimed at encouraging and uncovering creative talent.

Phil, from Darlington, submitted his song Take Up Your Time and it was picked by judges, including Chris Martin and DJ Mark Radcliffe, as one of six winners.

His prize includes £1,000 of Yamaha music equipment, and he will also set off tomorrow for a “boot camp” at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, where he will be coached by professional musicians, including Chris Martin, on how to excel in the industry.

The camp will culminate in a performance at the Paul Mc- Cartney Auditorium in front of representatives from major record labels. Phil said he was delighted to have won, and added: “I don’t think it is one of my better songs.

“I entered the competition on the last day, on the last hour really, and that was what I had to hand.

“I wasn’t really expecting much.”

Phil was born in Darlington but moved to Cornwall when he was six months old, returning to the town when he was 16.

He has been playing the piano since he was child and later learnt the guitar and other string instruments.

He describes his music as acoustic blues, similar in style to Jack Johnson.

He attended Darlington College, where he completed a diploma in media and moving images.

Although Phil works at Orange, in Darlington, his ambition firmly remains to break into the music business.

He said: “Hopefully I will get signed from this and take it from there.”