WINNER: Caroline Rawlinson, 16, from Burnley, takes first prize for piano solo in the up to 16 years category of the festival MUSICAL YOUTH: Charlotte Binns, 15, from Burnley High standards at speech, music and stage dance event BURNLEY Festival of speech, music and stage dance ended on a high note with 300 entries in the music section competing at three venues in the town.

That followed a successful first weekend when there were 295 entries in the speech classes.

Everyone is now looking forward to the festival concert in St Peter's Church, Burnley, on Saturday, March 24, when individual winners will join Nelson Civic Choir and Towneley High School brass band, Burnley.

The concert starts at 7.30pm and admission is £3.

Music classes took place in the school on Thursday, in the church and St Peter's School on Friday and in the church, school and Mechanics on Saturday. The dance section of the festival will be in September.

Secretary, Peter Jelley, said they were again pleased at the encouraging number of local competitors along with others from as far afield as Yorkshire, Cumbria and Cheshire.

It was a very happy event with a high standard of competition. RESULTS Local class winners were:

Recorder solo up to seven years, Emily Smith, Burnley; flute, up to 11, Kirstin Dawson, Colne; woodwind solo, up to 13, Kathryn Humphrey, Burnley; brass solo, up to 13, Steven Teal, Earby; brass solo, up to 15, Steven Teal; brass solo, up to 18, Steven Teal; string solo, up to 11, Jonathan Hoyle, Newchurch.

String solo, up to 18, Michael Nowland, Colne; string solo, any age, Michael Nowland; instrumental duet, any age, Gareth Jones and Hannah Thompson, Burnley.

Recorder groups, up to 18, Park High School, Colne; instrumental groups, up to 12, Towneley Training Band, Burnley; up to 18, Towneley High School, Burnley; instrumental group, up to 18, 3-15 players, Towneley High School.

Piano solo, up to eight, Oliver Gill; up to nine, Oliver Gill; up to 10, Callum Butler; up to 11, Sophie Greenwood; up to 12, Thomas Daggett; up to 14, Thomas Daggett; up to 16, Caroline Rawlinson; any age, Richard Patel; jazz piano solo up to 16, Rose Crabtree.

Electronic keyboard solo, up to eight, Dominic Sapey, Burnley; up to nine, Eleanor Sapey, Burnley; up to 10, Eleanor Sapey, Burnley; up to 11, Thomas Fallows, Burnley; up to 13 and keyboard trophy, Carley Newsome, Burnley; up to 14, Tanya Ashworth, Burnley; up to 16, Hannah Thompson, Burnley; any age, Hannah Thompson.

Vocal solo, up to 10, Amie Shelton, Burnley; up to 12, Marc Noble, Helmshore; up to 14, Marc Noble; up to 18, Gemma Horsfall, Burnley; modern musical, up to 13, Lucy Calvert, Read; hymn singing, up to 14, James Holding, Blackburn.

Gilbert and Sullivan, Judith Addison, Accrington; British composers, Jessica Roebuck, Rawtenstall; light opera, Deborah Smith; Victorian ballard, Kathryn Henshaw; folk song, Gillian Teague; rose bowl, Kathryn Henson; own composition, Caroline Rawlinson, Burnley. Choirs, up to 21, Nelson Civic; madrigal groups, Readstone Singers, Read; male, ladies or mixed choirs, Nelson Civic Choir.