A GIFTED singer is hoping to emulate her role model Luciano Pavarotti in her bid for opera success.

And Soraya Mafi, 16, of Moorland Rise, Haslingden, is well on her way to achieving her ambition after winning the prestigious Junior English Songprize Award in London.

Soraya, a former pupil at Bury Grammar School, impressed judges from London music schools The Royal Academy of Music and The Guild Hall School of Music last Saturday to beat off talented competition from all over the country.

Her proud parents Helena, 52, and dad Mozie, 53, have high hopes for Soraya.

Helena said: "She is such an energetic young person. She's always doing something if it's not singing then it's something else. She's also involved in the English Youth Ballet which she is very passionate about. We have about 18 trophies in our dining room from competitions won by Soraya.

"She's very lucky because she has a talent which has been encouraged by her music teacher. We know that whatever she wants to do in life then she'll do well."

Soraya said: "I love opera and would like to get involved professionally in opera or musical theatre. I don't really have any idols because I like to be unique, but it would be good if one day I could be as well known for my musical talents as Luciano Pavarotti."

She went through to compete for the prestigious title after securing a place in the finals at the regional heats held at Blackburn Music Festival.

To win the coveted prize she sang Hark the Echoing Air by Henry Purcell, Twilight Fancies by Frederick Cellius and Clock-A-Clay by Rodney Bennett.

The young musician is now hoping to follow in the footsteps of her older sister Fatemah, 19, who won a choral scholarship at Oxford.

Soraya is to study music at A-Level when she goes to Holy Cross Sixth Form in Bury in September and is set to join the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester at the start of the new school-term.