YOUNGSTERS were turned into young stars when Earby's New Road Community Centre staged its own version of TV talent show Stars in Their Eyes.

The TV show, where ordinary members of the public impersonate famous singing stars, was brought to life in Earby by members of the community centre's senior and junior youth clubs.

They had worked for months to make the show a spectacular success, and all their efforts were rewarded when it was staged last Thursday.

Over 120 people packed the main hall, creating an atmosphere that crackled and buzzed with excitement.

Plenty of effort had been put in behind the scenes too, with a 20 foot star suspended above the stage, a special starry backdrop and, of course, the TV show's famous "magic doors".

Contestants walked through them as themselves and emerged again as the star they were going to be.

The ones in Earby had been specially built by youth club members, staff and local joiner Peter Style

Matthew Kelly, host of the TV show, couldn't make it, but Earby had the next best thing in the shape of youth worker Matthew Lunney.

Sadly, no amount of make-up, wigs, false beards, platform shoes or corsetry could bring about that transformation.

But while Earby's Matthew might be a couple of feet shorter, a good deal "cuddlier", and blessed with considerably less hair than his TV namesake, he lacked none of his warmth, charisma and stage presence.

And he did something Matthew Kelly has never done - getting events under way with a fantastic rendition of Elvis Presley's Return to Sender.

No less than 27 performers took part in the evening's entertainment, competing in junior and senior sections and performing 13 songs in all.

Just like the TV show, they were transformed by a team of make-up artists, mainly from Earby's Sweet Peas shop.

Each performance was enhanced by professional stage lighting, a full sound system and a very lively smoke machine!

All the performers waited backstage until, in the style of the TV show, they were asked by host Matthew: "Who are you going to be tonight?"

They then replied using a backstage microphone before emerging through the magic doors to rapturous applause.

In some cases the transformation was spectacular, like long curly-haired blonde Camilla Shore emerging as close-cropped brunette Natalie Imbruglia.

Winners in the junior section were Becky Garrity, with Nerisa Bentley and Anne Shutt, performing the hit song Because We Want To, by teenage pop star Billie.

In the senior section, the winners were Natalie Martindale and Monica Goodridge as TLC, performing No Scrubs.

Those with the hardest job on the night were the panel of judges, as all the acts were extremely professional.

So much so that next year the event will run over two nights, with tickets being sold in advance.

The other acts were: Stephanie Waddington, Emma Richards, Lorna Hartley and Sheree Somers as B*witched singing To You I Belong; Kay Wilkinson and Laura Gwilliam singing Tomorrow from the stage show Annie; Kimberley Lancaster, Zoe Colbeck and Sophie Crawford-Smith as Steps singing Last Thing on My Mind; Sara Graziani as Britney Spears singing Hit Me Baby; Hayley Toothill, Laura Day, Charlotte Dundon and Laura Goodall as Steps singing 5,6,7,8; Sarah Hooper as Whitney Houston singing Greatest Love of All; Sabian Mayers as Robbie Williams singing Angels; Kim Metcalfe as Britney Spears singing Hit Me Baby, with dancers Ashley Duxbury and Vicky Pickles; Andrew Moore playing live electric guitar for Noel Gallagher's hit Master Plan; and Amy Abrahams receiving a standing ovation as Martine McCutcheon singing Perfect Moment.

Speaking after the event, host Matthew Lunney, told the Herald: "I couldn't believe how many people turned out to watch. I'm sure they all feel as though they were entertained - all the acts were quite magnificent.

"The young people have been planning and practising for the past four months.

"It's taken a big effort to pull this show off and I feel you could tell this by the professional approach from the excellent young people who took part."

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