Young songwriters have been working hard to create their own work ready for a big debut at Sidmouth Folk Week.

Thanks to a grant of £1,950 from the Keith Owen Fund, a group of year seven and eight youngsters at Sidmouth College were able to take part in a number of workshops run by WREN Music.

Music teacher Mr Hickman decided his students would benefit from some songwriting input from musicians other than himself, so enlisted the help of the Sid Vale Association (SVA), which controls the fund.

The money was used to fund a series of songwriting workshops which honed the youngsters’ composition skills. They created songs about everything from Sidmouth holidaymakers to donkeys and romantic walks on the beach.

The young songwriters will join WREN Music to debut their newly-created material at the Manor Pavillion, in Sidmouth, on August 8.

Mr Hickman said: “This generous grant has enabled these young people to be part of something special and something new.”