A schoolgirl is getting used to being in the spotlight after winning a major talent competition.

Singer-songwriter Biba Christie was one of more than 1,000 hopefuls who entered the talentSTAR competition.

Now the 14-year-old is looking forward to recording her own CD with the help of professional producers, taking part in a photoshoot and having her own web site.

Biba, from Newton Aycliffe, has been playing the piano since she was seven and started writing her own songs about three years ago. Shelly Ambury, head of music at Woodham Community Technology College, persuaded Biba to take part in the competition.

Performing her own song, Wait For You, Biba won through the heats and semi-final.

Last week she took part in the grand final at Durham's Gala Theatre. Woodham pupil Darren James, 16, also made it to the last 25 and together the pair took along about 60 supporters.

For Biba, just getting to the final was an amazing achievement and when she found she had made the final three, she daid the excitement was almost unbearable.

Biba steadied herself for another performance to decide the overall winner.

This time she chose to perform her own version of Truly, Madly, Deeply, by Savage Garden.

Biba said: "It's amazing, I still can't believe it. I keep having to tell myself I actually won."

But the youngster is keeping her feet firmly on the ground, preferring to concentrate on her GCSE studies for the time being than dreaming of future stardom.