A DREAM came true for Andover teenager Jake Ward when he was pronounced one of the national winners of the Live and Unsigned singing competition.

The 13-year-old competed at Portsmouth Guildhall on Saturday and won the boys' under-17 category with his performance of James Morrison's Wonderful World.

Jake, from Mersey Court, performed in front of 2,200 people which included over 60 of his friends and family all wearing Jake Ward t-shirts.

The teenage singer has become extremely well-known in Andover since he first auditioned at the beginning of the year..

He has been campaigning for public votes for the duration of the competition; he even sang in the rain in the town centre.

"Saturday was probably my best performance and it's really unbelievable I won.

"The best bit was I come from Winton School whereas everyone else seemed to have come straight from drama school courses."

Jake is keen to thank everyone who supported him throughout the competition, especially the director of Sonnets drama school which he attends once a week.

"Dave Phaure has helped me throughout this whole thing, he's been really brilliant," he added.

Jake's now trying to get himself signed to a record deal.

"I want to be the next James Blunt.

"His mum even came up to me when I was singing in town to wish me good luck," he said.