Swindon Talent ’10 kicks off this week and, due to popular demand, we have now decided to throw the competition open to those who have entered in the last two years.

Many budding stars were hugely disappointed not to enter this year so the rule has been relaxed, making the contest heat up even more.

Swindon Advertiser editor Dave King said: “We decided to do a U-turn on this particular rule because so many people wanted to come on board who had already entered. We want this year’s competition to be a keen contest that everyone will enjoy.’’ The first heat is on Friday in Purton Village Hall at 7.30pm. It is part of the Purton Carnival celebrations.

Kevin Law, one of the carnival organisers, said: “We are happy as always to host Swindon Talent ’10. It is a good opportunity to get other people from Swindon and elsewhere to come to Purton and show us what they can do.

“The winner gets to perform at the Wyvern Theatre this year, which is a big plus.’’ One of the entrants at Purton will be a singing and dance troupe, the K School Performance Squad. The members all belong to the K School Of Music and train under the guiding hand of Julie Williams.

She said: “The squad have only been together for five weeks, and they love to sing and dance together.

All of them are looking forward to performing in Swindon Talent ’10 as this will be their first time together.’’ There are 18 singers in the troupe and the youngest is just five years old.

On Saturday, June 12 Purton Carnival hosts its grand procession starting at 1pm in Witts Lane and ending at Bradon Forest School for the carnival fete.

Purton Carnival Committee has been involved with Swindon Talent since it first began in 2008. On Friday Kevin will be compering the evening.

This year for the first time Highworth Talent has come on board the Swindon Talent wagon train.

Aspiring entertainers in this heat have already been through auditions to win through to the Highworth Talent final and the winners on Saturday will go through to the Swindon Talent ’10 final at the Wyvern Theatre on Sunday, August 8.

Sandra Randell, the organiser of Highworth Talent, said: “We look for anyone with talent to go through either in our under 16 or over 16 categories and there are cash prizes for the winners of our finals on Saturday.’’

The judges at Highworth include Shirley Ludford from community radio Swindon 105.5 and Peter Clark, director of Swindon Music Service.

Shirley said: “I am really looking forward to Swindon Talent ’10 and discovering more of our town’s hidden gems of the entertainment world.’’

X Factor judge's advice for Elliott

SWINDON singer Elliott Watling was given some good advice when he auditioned for ITV’s X Factor. It sent him away walking on air and encouraged him to enter the Highworth heat of Swindon Talent ’10. The Dorcan College of Technology student said he wasn’t nervous until he got to the bottom of the stairs before the judges and saw that his judge was a record company executive from Simon Cowell’s record label.

“He said I was talented but too young,” Elliott, 16, said. “He said to come back in two years and I would definitely get somewhere.

“He said you pluck the fruit when it is ripe for picking.’’

Elliott said that just getting to the auditions in Birmingham was quite hard work as he and his mother, Gail, had to get up at 5am, travel and then spend three hours in a queue before they even got inside.

“It was because they needed to film the crowd shots,’’ said Elliott. “We all poured in to this football stadium and sat in the stands.

“There were 15 booths and I sang a verse and chorus.’’ Sadly, Elliott did not get through this time and had to follow the red signs through the No door. Elliot says he wasn’t discouraged because he had such good feedback and he aims to try again next year, along with Britain’s Got Talent 2011 in December. But first he will be concentrating on Swindon Talent ’10 although he hasn’t made up his mind which song he is going to sing.

He said: “We are not Reading or Cardiff so the contest is a good opportunity for smaller places like us to show off the talented people in the town.’’ The singer is currently taking 14 GCSEs, as well as working on songs with his pals from school.

“I write mainly acoustic pop rock ballads,’’ he said. One of his songs was inspired by a piece of graffiti he saw: There’s nothing to fear but fear.

Elliott’s mum thinks he may have inherited his talent from his grandfather, Byron Folland, who was the drummer in a band called The Mustangs.

Villagers let their hair down with carnival fun

The Purton heat of Swindon Talent ’10 is part of the annual carnival which kicked off at the weekend with a five-mile cycle ride beginning at 2.30pm at the Redhouse.

“This is a new event for the carnival this year,’’ said Kevin Law, one of the organisers.

Following the talent show on the Friday night, there will be a pig roast on Saturday in The Angel pub car park with live music from a number of young bands and Shannon Saunders, who has won through to the last eight of the Sony Music Awards.

“We are really lucky to have her,’’ said Kevin.

To blow off the cobwebs after the pig roast there will be the Run Around The Houses race on Sunday, June 6, from 12.30pm.

On Monday, June 7, there will be a darts competition and on Tuesday, June 8, it is all about the under fives with a teddybears’ picnic and entertainment from Razzamatazz, who will be putting on a magic show.

“In the evening we have the carnival quiz at the Workingmen’s Club,’’ said Kevin. Keeping up the momentum there will be a carnival bingo session on Wednesday, June 9, followed by a skittles contest on Thursday, June 10, at the Workingmen’s Club

“On the Friday our local butcher Andrew Hiscock provides us with a bangers and mash treat for the carnival lunch,’’ said Kevin.

The big day is Saturday, June 12, with the procession from 1pm. It will be rounded off with a rock’n’roll evening at The Angel from 8pm.

How to enter.

The heats:

l Purton Carnival on Friday, June 4, at 7.30pm, email kevin@purtoncarnival.co.uk, phone 07768 456989

l Highworth Warneford School, on Saturday, June 5, at 7pm, phone 01793 762197

l The Old Town Festival, on Sunday, June 27, at 11.30am, phone 01793 642368

l Lydiard Park, on Saturday, July 10, at noon, phone 01793 466565

Wootton Bassett School, on Saturday July 24, at noon. (01793) 841900.

There will also be an open mic heat at the Arts Centre, in Old Town, on Tuesday, July 6, from 6pm where artists can just turn up on the night, phone 01793 466565.

The finals will be held at the Wyvern Theatre on Sunday, August 8. The contest is run in collaboration with the Swindon Advertiser, Swindon 105.5, the Wyvern Theatre and the Swindon Arts Centre. To enter Swindon Talent ’10 log on to www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk /news/talent10 or call the venue for entry forms. Rules: l Every act needs to perform for four minutes and must be amateur, not earn their living by entertainment, and must live or work in Wiltshire l Entry is open to any age, but under 16s need signed permission from a parent or guardian l Organisers have the right to refuse entries if health or safety is considered at risk