I see that last year's winner Lauren MacColl is appearing at the 2006 Gosport & Fareham Easter Festival in Hampshire just down the road from my Winchester home.

The Festival Organiser Peter Chegwyn told me last week that three of this year's finalists from Scotland, Bodega, Matheu Watson and Shona Donaldson, are all well worth hearing.

Peter goes to the Celtic Connections Festival in Glasgow every January and is always impressed by the musical talent north of the border.

"They just get younger and better" he says.