A YOUNG singer from Bishopthorpe, York, has celebrated winning the city’s Community Idol competition for her stunning performance of the Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli song Time To Say Goodbye.

Rachel Skelton, 16, performed on stage to about 400 people at the Grand Opera House on Saturday night before being awarded the prize by a panel which included Nic Slack, judge of the ITV show The Choir That Rocks.

The night was opened by York band Burnwylde, followed by the top acts from the recent Mini Idol spin-off competition for seven to 11-year-olds, including Wigginton Junior School pupils Meg Badrick, a singer, and pianist Benjamin Kilner, singing duo Chloe Griggs and Libby Smith, of Elvington CE School, and Jemima Rowley, of Scarcroft School.

The Community Idol finalists, of which there were 20, then performed a range of acts which ranged from rap to ballet, tap to classical.

In second place was singer and guitarist 15-year-old Declan Gough, from Cranbeck, near Malton, who gave a great rendition of The A Team by Ed Sheron, closely followed by 12-year-old Sam Lightwing, from Warthill, who had the audience rocking and singing along with Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing.

The Pop Idol-style talent contest for young people aged 11 to 19, was set up five years ago by PCSO Keith Hall as a way of keeping youngsters busy during the summer holidays.

Keith said: “Each one of them was a winner in my opinion. They showed their support for one another and the atmosphere backstage was electric.

“They were not individuals nor groups but a large team of great young talent who should be immensely proud of themselves.”

The contest donates all proceeds to York young people’s charity SNAPPY.