THE winner of a Suffolk talent show has described her “overwhelming” joy at her triumph just one week before she auditions for the latest Andrew Lloyd Webber TV show.

Jonathan Schofield

THE winner of a Suffolk talent show has described her “overwhelming” joy at her triumph just one week before she auditions for the latest Andrew Lloyd Webber TV show.

Following weeks of auditions in the Arc in Bury St Edmunds before Christmas the 15 finalists performed on Saturday night in Great Barton Village Hall in front of a panel of judges which included David Croft, co-creator of Dad's Army and Hi-De-Hi.

Eventually the judges chose Michelle Rande, 28, a music teacher and classical performer from Appledown Drive in Bury, who sang the aptly-titled Nobody Does it Better.

“I'm absolutely overwhelmed,” said the Hadleigh High School teacher. “I've been jumping about all over the place since winning.

“There were some amazing singers there and it was a really really professional night. Lots of my pupils came to watch so it was great for them to be watching me for a change.”

On Sunday Mrs Rande, who is married to Roger, a physics teacher at Stowupland High School, will be auditioning for the BBC's next talent show in which Andrew Lloyd Webber will try and find a Dorothy for the upcoming West End production of The Wizard of Oz.

The former Stowmarket High School pupil, who graduated with a BA honours in music from Cambridge University, has also played the clarinet in performances at the Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall and the Barbican plus numerous European tours.

Contest organiser Gemma Bell, who has run talent shows around the world for more than 25 years, said Saturday's final was a brilliant evening filled with amazing talent that raised more than �2,600 for Help for Heroes.

She said: “The hall was packed and we had to open the annexe to fit everyone in. The talent on show was simply amazing and the judges had an extremely tough time deciding.”

Soprano and opera singer Clare Presland handed over the cheque to Sergeant Wayne Ward, family liaison officer for the Royal Anglian Regiment at the close of Saturday's show.

Mrs Bell said she would like to thank everyone who helped to put on the event.

Mrs Rande will be performing Mozart's Clarinet Concerto at St Mary's Church in Bury St Edmunds on March 13.

For more information go to www.michellerande.co.uk.