A TALENTED singer is celebrating her success at Whitehaven Musical Festival after winning a haul of trophies.

Vanessa Turpin, of Whitehaven, took home eight awards, including the Alfred Napier Swinburne Rose Bowl, which she won after competing against her sister, Gillian Rothery.

The siblings went head to head in the final after winning all of their qualifying classes, which Vanessa said was “unprecedented”.

“We have competed against each other for years,” she said. “There’s no rivalry between us at all.

“She was over the moon for me, as I am for her when she wins. We are always rooting for each other.

“I was delighted. It was a great sense of achievement. It’s the second time I have won the Rose Bowl.

“It was a good standard of competition.”

Vanessa has been treading the boards from a young age and also enjoys performing with Whitehaven Theatre Group, Rosehill Players, West Cumbria Choral Society and St Bees Priory Choir.

She said: “I started singing when I was seven years old and I’m 52 now! It’s a lovely hobby and I’ve made lots of friends over the years. I met my husband through music.”