Young singing stars shine at Clitheroe’s ‘Grab - The Event’: PHOTOS

The St Augustine’s RC High School pupil, whose ambition is to sing professionally, wowed the sell-out crowd with her solo “For Good”, from West End musical “Wicked”.

And the 13-year-old, who nearly missed the inter-schools talent competition through illness, dedicated her win to her fellow finalists.

She said: “We are all winners. Everybody who took part in Grab was a winner .”

Karen, a Year 9 pupil, added: “I absolutely love to sing, dance and act and it is definitely something I want to do with my life.”

Karen’s mum Elaine said: “Karen’s been quite poorly with a virus for a couple of weeks and had seen the doctor a few hours before Grab. I rang her before the show and said if she wanted to pull out she could, but she just wanted to go on and try her best.”

“X Factor” star and Grab judge Lucie Jones, who lost out to Jedward in 2009, said she could not fault Karen’s performance: “Karen has an enchanting voice and to turn in a perfect performance like that when she was under the weather was incredible.”

There was a record turnout for The Grand’s ‘X-Factor’ style talent show, with over 400 children from Clitheroe Royal Grammar School, Ribblesdale High School, St Augustine’s and Bowland High School taking part.

Jones, who sang “Sweet Child of Mine” at the finale, added: “I judge a lot of talent shows all over Britain, and Grab was the best I’ve seen by a mile.”

Ella Shaw, also from St Augustine’s, claimed the runner-up prize, while Callum Shaw and singer Kelsey Gill, both from Bowland, respectively finished third and fourth.

Steven Lancaster, director of The Grand, said: “It was an incredible night and the standard of the acts was out of this world. We want to say a big thank you to our sponsors, The Co-operative Bank.”

Steered by The Grand’s High School Forum members, with support from venue and schools’ staff, Grab 2012 will see charities The Solomon Project, which helps to provide school meals for children in Africa, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the Multiple Sclerosis Society, all benefit from money raised by the event.

Don’t miss Thursday’s newspaper for more on this story.