A YOUNG busker has won through to the next round of a national music competition.

Swindon-born Emma Lauran, 16, who now lives in Exeter, performed one of her own songs to win through on the Live and Unsigned when she attended auditions at the Plymouth Guildhall last weekend.

“I didn’t feel too nervous and just focussed on singing and playing my guitar as best I could,’’ said Emma, who is a familiar face in the Princesshay shopping centre in Exeter where she goes busking.

It has only been 18 months since she first picked up a guitar and decided to teach herself to play by watching YouTube videos. Emma is up against thousands of other hopefuls in the famous contest and she will be performing an original song and a cover version at the next round in front of judges and a live audience who will also vote.