THE first ever Northgate’s Got Talent competition has been hailed a success as acts of all ages battled it out for the prize.

Nine acts performed at the Baptist Tabernacle, on Corporation Road, and showed off their skills before a judging led by local PCSO Christine O’Brien.

Many of the acts chose to sing, but Yvonne Richardson played Tchaikovsky’s German Song on the piano, the first time she had played in public.

Other performers included Cassie Wilson, a member of Neighbourhood Watch, who recited a poem that she wrote after a visit to Culloden battlefield and Ray Shaw, a former headmaster, who turned up in his home-made fairy costume to sing Nobody Likes a Fairy in Her Eighties.

The competition was won by the Happy Tappers, a group of eight tap dancers, who meet on a Tuesday night at the Baptist Church.

Linda Donaldson, minister in training at the church, said: “It’s been a great evening. We hope some of this talent will stay with us to help to set up the community choir that we have planned.”