THREE acts from Felixstowe and Ipswich have been left disappointed after missing out on the chance of winning a prestigious national competition to find new musical talent.

THREE acts from Felixstowe and Ipswich have been left disappointed after missing out on the chance of winning a prestigious national competition to find new musical talent.

Bands Slide and Stratosfire, and 13-year-old singer Aimee Wallace, all took part in the regional final of Live and Unsigned at Basildon but none of them were lucky enough to make it through.

Slide and Stratosfire still have an outside chance of making it via a wildcard phone voting system but are not banking on it.

Stratosfire - guitarist Ben Locke, 25, his brother, guitarist Josh Locke, 19, lead singer Mike Adkins, 27, drummer Ashley Paul, 19, and bass player Murray Collins, 19 - performed Stand By Me by Ben E King and Time to Run, which they had written themselves.

“I think we really gave it our best shot but it just wasn't our night - the judges seemed to be going for those bands which were a bit gimmicky,” said Ben.

“It was a great experience though and we learned a lot and are now even more determined to try and make it.”

Teenager Aimee Wallace, a student at Orwell High School, is following in family footsteps - and has a heart set on a career in showbiz like her mother Shez Southernwood, who was a dancer and magician's assistant, and her aunt Gemma Andrews, currently in Mamma Mia in the West End.

“Aimee didn't get through and decided she had taken the competition as far as she could and so decided not to enter the wildcard,” said Ms Southernwood.

Tell us your success story - write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk