A SINGER-SONGWRITER, who has been penning her own songs since she was 10, is to perform at the iconic Royal Albert Hall in London.

Sophie Morgan, a student of Warrington’s Presto Music School, won a coveted spot on the Music for Youth Grand Performance following an acclaimed concert at Manchester Academy in October.

The 17-year-old caught the eye of Fyfe Dangerfield from the The Guillemots and will now be singing in the big smoke on Wednesday.

Sophie said: "My dad came into the kitchen and told me that I had been chosen to perform two of my songs at the Royal Albert Hall for the Music for Youth Grand event.

"I had no idea that I had any chance at all of being selected so it was a complete surprise, I don't think it has truly sunk in yet.

"It is such an iconic venue where so many of my favourite musicians have performed, so it is surreal for me to think that next month I will be playing songs that I wrote in my back garden on that stage. I feel so honoured and excited but very nervous."

Sophie has been attracting lots of attention in the music world over the last few years including Simon Jones of The Verve, who is now her mentor and producer.

She was first inspired by poetry as a youngster and then started playing around with lyrics when she was six.

Then her parents David and Maria started taking her to lessons at Presto where she fell in love with the piano.

Sophie was just 10 when she wrote her first song called Sometimes, she won a competition run by her favourite band Counting Crows when she covered their single, Holiday in Spain and she is being championed on the radio by BBC Lancashire.

Her time in London also includes a concert at Dublin Castle in Camden Town and on Saturday, November 15, she will be playing at 'Halton Rocks' at The Studio in Widnes. Tickets are £5 and all proceeds go to charity.

DAVID MORGAN