AND SO TONIGHT, SCHOOLGIRL JACLYN IS GOING TO BE... KATE BUSH!l TWO GIRLS FROM BARRHEAD TO APPEAR ON TV'S STARS IN THEIR EYES

Exclusive by Graeme Murray

(Article from the UK newspaper Evening Times)

IT may not have the musical heritage of Merseyside or Memphis. But Barrhead is fast building up an unlikely reputation as a breeding ground for pop star soundalikes. The town has already produced one winner on the TV show Stars In Their Eyes. Now two talented schoolgirls are following in the footsteps of Freddie Mercury impersonator Gary Mullen.

Jaclyn Bell, 16, will appear on a junior version of the popular show this weekend after being selected from thousands of young hopefuls. She will impersonate 1970s star Kate Bush after being inspired by her mum's record collection. In a month's time, another Barrhead teenager will face the television cameras as she walks through the show's famous doors. Ashley McCulloch, 15, will be transformed into the Canadian singer Shania Twain for her starring spot at Granada's studios in Manchester. Scotland's most famous Stars in Their Eyes contestant, Gary Mullen, below, is also from Barrhead and has forged a successful career by impersonating Queen singer Mercury.

Barrhead councillor Betty Cunningham said: "If you look round about Barrhead, some of these kids are very talented. "We will all be hoping they do well."

Jaclyn first sang as Kate Bush in a Stars in Their Eyes-style event two years ago at her school, Barrhead High. She said: "I was really surprised when I got on because it was quite a long wait and I just thought I wouldn't hear anything. "My older sister and younger brother were over the moon.

"Becoming Kate Bush was kind of my mum's idea as she's a big fan. We got the old albums out and I thought that it was quite good and then I saw a video and said to myself 'I like this'." Her parents David and Linda are thrilled that Jaclyn has been chosen for the show. David, 46, said: "We are just delighted. Jaclyn getting the chance to audition was just marvellous. "There were two rounds of auditions with her up against thousands.

"My wife is a Kate Bush fan and we have all the videos and all the records and Jaclyn loves watching them, so I think that's where her inspiration came from." Meanwhile, Ashley's dad Davey said of his daughter's achievement: "We are all delighted for her."

This weekend's show, hosted by Cat Deeley, will see Jaclyn on stage with others performing as Sophie Ellis-Bextor, the Beatles, Karen Carpenter and Avril Lavigne. The competition will run over nine weeks and end in a live final.