TEENAGE songstress Laura Fitzgerald performed alongside comedian Peter Kay in front of thousands in Bolton town centre.

Laura was one of the stars of Bolton's festive lights switch-on by the funnyman who created Phoenix Nights.

The talented vocalist -- real name Laura White, of Atherton -- is a pupil at St Mary's High and her stage name is a tribute to one of her idols, Ella Fitzgerald who, along with Aretha Franklin, Alicia Keys and Eva Cassidy have been her influences.

For a girl who has just turned 16, Laura's musical maturity can be detected in her exquisite taste for musicians and her love for the blues, jazz and gospel music. Laura's voice power belies her size -- it is as big as she is petite. Laura has been singing regularly in public for a couple of years, giving impromptu karaoke performances in clubs from Blackburn to Cornwall and winning talent contests, and a heat in the Monaco Ballroom in Hindley. She also plays piano and clarinet.

Her father, Adrian, said she drives her audiences wild: "Everywhere she sings, she just gets so much positive feedback -- it's amazing."

She has even attracted interest from record labels but, understandably, her parents are keen not to put too much pressure on her at such a young age.