Singers, dancers and even gymnasts have taken to the stage in a Shropshire town’s search for the entertainment stars of the future.

Contestants have been pulling out the stops to impress the judges in a bid to win the Telford’s Talent crown 2010. Organisers said auditions for the competition, which has been arranged by young people from across the town, got off to a promising start at Brookside Community Centre.

It started on Sunday with the first contestants vying for a chance to win the £500 top prize.

The event was first held last year when it was called Telford’s Got Talent.

But organisers changed the name of the contest after worries over a clash with ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent.

The format remains the same with contestants trying to win their way to the final at The Place @ Oakengates Theatre in April.

Jack Castree, who devised the format of the contest, said: “We want to make it bigger and better because there is definitely more out there.”

Among the early frontrunners at the first audition was 13-year-old Chloe-Louise Newnes, who performed a song from Cinderella, while Glenn Millar, 17, sang Time is Running Out, by Muse.

Also through to the “boot camp” stage in March is hip-hop group Young Fate, along with Dan Ruscoe, 15, who performed a song from the musical Miss Saigon.

The competition, which was won last year by 13-year-old Daniel Crossley, is organised Telford & Wrekin Council’s Arts Development team, in conjunction with Connextions 4 Youth.

Julia Sockett, who is co-ordinating the project, said she wanted to see the competition reach the same level of success as last year, when more than 500 people attended the final.

The next audition takes place on Sunday at Lawley Community Centre.

The first round auditions, which are open to anyone of any age who lives in the Telford & Wrekin area, run until February 27, with the second round of auditions on March 6 and 7.

The final will be held on April 9. Anyone interested can register at www.telford.gov.uk/whatson

By Lisa Rowley