Charlie Meehan started playing the guitar aged nine - with his teeth.

Emulating his rock guitar heroes, the Bradford youngster taught himself to play in just about every way imaginable - behind his head, upside down and while spinning around on the floor.

Just four years after taking it up, he's fast making a name for himself on the local rock scene. And now the young guitar virtuoso is preparing to face Simon Cowell on the new series of hit show Britain's Got Talent.

Charlie, 13, has got through to the televised audition stage of the ITV show, which invites performers to show off their varied skills in front of a panel of celebrity judges.

Charlie, of Allerton, will be playing guitar for Simon Cowell, tabloid editor-turned TV personality Piers Morgan and actress Amanda Holden when the next round of auditions starts in January. Last year the show launched the career of opera singer Paul Potts, who won the series and went on to record a No. 1 album.

"I went to auditions in Blackpool, in front of the producers, back in November and they said I'd got through to the TV auditions," says Charlie.

"In my audition I played the electric guitar upside down and spinning around on the floor, that's what I'll be doing for Simon Cowell and the other judges. It's a fun act, I've seen other rock guitarists do it and taught myself. I practise the moves at home."

But it's not just a case of practising his guitar in front of the bedroom mirror for Charlie. The youngster plays live regularly around the region with Bradford rock band Splash Alley and in his own band, Top Notch.

Charlie, a pupil at Dixons Community Technology College, comes from a musical family; his gran, Josie Meehan, is a vocalist with long-running rock 'n' roll band the Bradford Dakotas and his uncle, Paul White, is the lead guitarist.

"I got into rock music quite early and started playing the guitar when I was nine. My guitar teacher is Steve Blades," says Charlie, who has just passed his Grade 3 guitar exam with Distinction.

With his long hair and schoolboy stage costume, Charlie has been nicknamed Little Angus' on Bradford's rock scene.

The stage costume is, of course, a tribute to one of his rock heroes, Angus Young. The lead guitarist with heavy metal giants AC/DC famously dresses as a schoolboy in blazer, shorts and cap while belting out classics like For Those About To Rock.

Charlie's other guitar heroes include American rocker Steve Vai and Slash, British-born lead guitarist with Guns N' Roses.

The talented youngster is earning himself a strong reputation on the local music scene. In September he joined Splash Alley on stage at the Bingley Music Live festival in Myrtle Park, performing covers such as Van Halen's Jump, Guns N' Roses' Sweet Child O' Mine and some frantic AC/DC tracks.

He's been spending much of the pre-Christmas period performing with both Splash Alley and Top Notch, who often support the veteran rock band. The other members of teen band Top Notch are singer Rick Stott, drummer Alex Ejree and bassist/singer Michaela Glover.

"It's great experience playing with Splash Alley because they've been around for a while and they really know their music," says Charlie. "We formed Top Notch about seven months ago and we've been playing gigs around Bradford, Halifax and Huddersfield. I love playing live."

Charlie's family will be cheering him on when he performs for the celebrity panel on Britain's Got Talent.

"I'm so proud of him. He beat thousands of people at the auditions - they only picked 80 performers out for the televised auditions," says mum Andrea. "He'll get to meet Ant and Dec, who present the show. The auditions are in January and will be televised in the spring.

"Charlie started showing talent at a very young age and he plays his guitar at any opportunity he gets. He plays it with his teeth and behind his head, it's amazing to watch."

  • Splash Alley and Top Notch are playing at The Friendly Inn, Boothtown, Halifax, on Saturday and at The Prince of Wales pub, Allerton, on Saturday, December 29.