SHOPPERS in Washington, Wearside, have been treated to a Stars in their Eyes style show at the Galleries Shopping Centre.

The Star Maker contest attracted the best copycat singers from across the region to compete for a £500 cash prize.

The winners of the competition were Colin Galley, 20, of Hetton le Hole, Wearside, and Ian Scott, 31, of Roker, in Sunderland, with their rendition of The Blues Brothers' hits Everybody and Rawhide.

Ian and Colin are second-year students working towards a degree in performing arts at the University of Sunderland.

Colin said: "There was a great atmosphere among the crowds watching the show.

"It gave us a great buzz to be out there performing on the stage in front of such a fantastic crowd, and the level of talent in the show was amazing, so we were over the moon when they announced we had won."

Other copycat acts included Boyzone, Shania Twain, Shirley Bassey, Olivia Newton John, The Andrews Sisters, Whitney Houston, Bonnie Tyler, and Abba.

Centre manager Les Pickering said: "The Star Maker competition is a great opportunity for talented local people to show the rest of us what they can do."