A band beat off more than 900 wannabe pop stars to win the chance play live on BBC Radio 1.

Rock on - Tom Gibbons, Emily Adams, Greg Wells and Andrew Small, alias the Aviators Picture: RON POULTER

The Aviators were among the three finalists of a nationwide contest run by the radio station to mark the new movie School of Rock, starring Jack Black, and to discover new stars.

The four-strong band, all aged 17, had to give a 30-second performance down the phone during the Colin and Edith show.

This was repeatedly played throughout the programme. Though they failed to the clinch top prize, a Gibson guitar signed by Jack Black and the opportunity to record a whole session for a later broadcast, their Radio 1 appearance put them firmly in the spotlight.

Sue Wells, of Reynolds Gate, South Woodham Ferrers, whose son Greg, is one of the band members said: "They have only been going six months. They had to play live on Radio 1 and their bit kept being played. They write all their own material and are really quite delighted about all this."

Published Tuesday January 27, 2004

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