A BUDDING Widnes singer stunned a panel of judges to be named the North West's top karaoke star.

Tonia Newton, 19, reached the final stage of the Carling Karaoke Competition, held in Manchester, after narrowly beating her best friend, fellow Widnesian Tara Fraser in the semi-final in Warrington.

Beating off competition from contestants from across the region, Tonia impressed the panel of five judges, agents and promoters to scoop the top prize of £500, which Tonia immediately shared with Tara to be spent on equipment for their singing duo, TNT, which currently plays at charity events throughout the borough to raise their profile.

Tonia and Tara beat karaoke singers from across Widnes and Newton-le-Willows to reach the semi-final, with Tonia scooping £150 for coming first, which was also shared with Tara.

In the semi-final Tonia sang Eva Cassidy's Somewhere Over The Rainbow and I've got the Music in Me by Kiki Dee, while Tara sang Immortality by Celine Dion and Anastacia's Not That Kind of Girl in front of a panel of judges who found it hard to pick a winner between the two, noting that both girls have powerful voices.

And after that final, both Tonia and Tara are waiting to see if they have been awarded places to appear in Stars in Their Eyes, with Tara reaching the semi-finals of the Wire FM 'Club Idol' contest in Warrington. Karen Fraser, Tara's mum, said: 'She walked it, she was excellent. She vowed that if she won, the money will go towards equipment for TNT.

'At the moment the girls have to hire PA equipment for when they perform and Tara's working two jobs, while Tonia works three, in order to save up for their equipment, because at the moment they're doing a lot of performing for free at charity events.

'They're trying to make something of themselves and they know it's going to be hard work.

'Thanks must go to Alder Springs for supplying them with crates of bottled water, it's the best thing for their voice and we're looking for any other companies who could sponsor them.'

Anyone interested in helping TNT through sponsorship can contact Karen Fraser on 0151 420 6360 or 07736 474616.