THIRTEEN students have battled it out in an annual music contest.

The Leschinski music competition took place at Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College in Darlington.

In front of a large audience, thirteen students performed a variety of classical and modern pieces on a range of instruments.

The winner was 17-year-old pianist Tom Edmunds, a student from Bishop Auckland. He performed Rachmaninov's Prelude in C# Minor and was thrilled to receive the first prize.

He said: "I can't believe it. The other competitors were all very good. I'm amazed and delighted to have won."

Runner-up was 16-year-old Amy Rodchester from Barnard Castle. She also played the piano but, unlike Tom, her choice of music was modern - Hindesmith's Praeludium.

Ken Smith, head of music at Queen Elizabeth College, said: "The standard was excellent and the judges, David Ferrari and Gavin Atkins, found it difficult to select an overall winner. It was a very close competition."

This year, for the first time, the college dance group opened and ended the proceedings.

The Leschinski music competition began in 1985 as the bequest of W M Wolf in memory of his piano teacher Olga Leschinski.