AN OXFORDSHIRE music festival which has hosted stars like Paul Simon, Elvis Costello and Blondie has unveiled the first act of this year’s bill – a group of local schoolgirls who have previously played only one live show.

Four-piece False Alarm won a slot at West Oxfordshire’s Cornbury Festival after triumphing in a battle of the bands competition.

Last year’s Cornbury attracted more than 16,000 people to Great Tew with acts like Jools Holland, Charlotte Church, Pixie Lott and Hugh Laurie.

Now Grace Pashley, 14 and Ellie Hiatt, 13, from Hook Norton; Tazu Walden,13, from Chipping Norton; and Evie Rose, 13, from Shipton-under-Wychwood, are set to share the stage with more music legends.

The youngsters – who describe their music as “pure pop” – beat six other acts at Chipping Norton School.

The girls have been playing together for a year though the contest was their first public performance.

They impressed judges with a ‘mash-up’ of Taylor Swift’s Love Story and Maroon 5’s She Will Be Loved.

Second place was taken by Phoebe, Esther and Imogen Mead, who perform under the name The Wayward Sisters, while Sam John and the Disciples, who played at Cornbury last year, came third.

Ellie said: “The other bands were fantastic so it was a shock for us to win. We are super-excited. I’ve never been to Cornbury before, so it will be amazing to actually play it.”

She added: “We are a pure pop group and are here to stay.”

They will play the Riverside stage at this year’s July 5 to 7 event, for which no other acts have been announced.

Headliners will be revealed when tickets go on sale on Friday, March 1.

School music teacher Kate Calnan said: “They are brilliant. They were one of the youngest bands to play, but deserved to win.

“They play pop and everyone enjoyed hearing them. They have got really nice voices. I’ll certainly be there to see them at the festival.”

Cornbury Festival director Hugh Phillimore, who led the judging panel, said False Alarm are an impressive start to the festival’s 10th birthday in 2013.

He said: “It really will be our finest line-up ever. I have the legends, the rock stars and the pop stars, old and new, creating a must-see line-up for every generation.”

The festival is nicknamed ‘Poshstock’ because of its comfortable surroundings and the number of celebrities it attracts. Last year David and Samantha Cameron, Noel Edmonds, comedian Dom Joly, Countryfile’s John Craven and Adam Henson and former Blur bassist Alex James were among the guests.