A young Didcot violinist has won a prestigious music competition.

Julie Macrae

Julie Macrae, 18, of Didcot Sixth Forms, who has been playing for 10 years, won the Frances Kitching Trust Award as well as a silver bowl and £300 towards the cost of a new £1,000 bow.

Glynne Stackhouse, director of the trust and chairman of the judges, said: "Julie was chosen because of her assured performance before an audience."

Julie, of Windrush Mews, who also plays the piano and performs with the county youth orchestra, said she hoped for a career in music.

"I am now planning to audition for music college," she said.

Two £300 awards went to Christopher Evans-Roberts, of Wallingford School, and Marion Foley-Fisher, of St Helen and St Katharine's School, Abingdon.

The trust was set up in memory of Frances Kitching, an energetic and enthusiastic musician and teacher responsible for founding music schools across the county before the present music service was established.

Ms Macrae, along with other past and present award winners, will perform at a concert at St Peter's Church, Wallingford, on Wednesday, July 3.

Admission to the concert, which will begin at 7.30pm, is free.

For details of next year's awards, which are open to young people in Didcot, Wallingford, Abingdon, Wantage and Faringdon, call 01491 825421.