GIRL power is alive and kicking in Rossendale as a band of teen songstresses prepare to launch their first single.

Arizona, Alder Grange Community Technology School’s girl group, are set to release their track Electric on iTunes, Amazon, and play.com The money raised by Year 11 opera singer Grace O’Malley, and sixth formers Jess Haworth, Sophie Wooding, and Jess Watts’s song will go to Petal Cancer Research, a childhood cancer charity.

The track has been composed by English teacher and musician Danny Williams, and released by a community interest company, Alderbeat, formed by staff and students at the school.

David Heywood, curriculum leader of creative, expressive and performing arts, chose the band after holding X Factor- style auditions last October.

He said: “It’s all systems go now. We will sign a recording contract at the end of this month, and then we will be working on the record, as well as making a video.

“The contract will be a real record contract for each of the four girls, which will give them all lots of real-life experience of getting a record deal, but the profits from the single will go to charity.”

The band plan to release their single by Easter and then, in Enterprise Week starting on July 14, will perform at primary and secondary schools in East Lancashire.

The media, business and marketing students at ag6 are all also involved with the single, promoting their classmatesm and helping to turn them into superstars.

Mr Heywood said: “We have had a good response from secondary schools already who are keen to have the band perform at their schools, so we are on track. It’s really exciting for everyone involved.”