A TEAM of talented teen songstresses have formed a girl group to raise funds for a childhood cancer charity.

In X Factor-style auditions, a trio of sixth formers from Alder Grange High School in Rawtenstall were selected by David Heywood, the school’s curriculum leader of creative, expressive and performing for the group. The girls, Jess Haworth, Sophie Wooding and Jess Watts, will be joined on a charity single, called Electricity, by 15-year-old opera singer Grace O'Malley, who is making a special guest appearance in the line-up.

Mr Heywood said: “Now that the band have been auditioned, they are working in the school’s studio on a track which has been composed by Danny Williams, an English teacher.

“The track should be fully recorded by February. We plan to release the single on iTunes and aim for the charts, with all the money raised going to the Petal Cancer Research.”

Grace, who has raised more than £50,000 for good causes in recent years, said singing a pop song was a welcome change.

The Year 11 student said: “It’s a bit different but I love doing pop. It’s more like what people my age listen to and probably goes down better than opera. I think it’s going to be really good.”

The band plan to also make a video and then, in Enterprise Week, which starts on July 14, they will perform at primary and secondary schools in East Lancashire.

In the meantime, the group are looking to come up with a name. Sixth form media, business and marketing students at the school are using their advertising skills to promote their classmates’ project.