Keighley piano maestro Lucy McLellan will travel to Germany this month to take part in her most prestigious competition yet.

Blackhill teenager Lucy (pictured) will take on pianists from 20 countries including world-leaders like China, Japan and Russia.

She hopes to reprise her success last year when she came first at Denmark's International Forum for Arts and Education.

Lucy, 14, of Tarn Wood, has been playing piano for seven years and for the past two has studied at northern music school Chethams.

She has been successful in many music festivals, including locally the Robertshaw Festival and Skipton Music Festival.

A senior piano award in Skipton this year won Lucy a place in the Emanuel Piano Year 2000 competition in London. Lucy will spend almost a week at the Ettlingen International Competition for Young Pianists from Tuesday.

She was among youngsters from 40 countries who sent audition tapes to a panel of German judges. Lucy is one of only two Britons to win a place in the contest, and is the only UK competitor in her age group.