CHEADLE college scooped three awards and a school from the town was successful for the fifth year running in this year's Staffordshire Moorlands Arts Awards.

Painsley Catholic College walked away with three of the seven awards up for grabs at the annual celebration of the arts organised at Alton Towers on Friday by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council.

And Cheadle Primary School received the Arts School of the Year award.

The college's Senior Saxophone Ensemble was presented with the Alton Towers Arts Group of the Year Award and member of the elite musical group, Kathryn Leeming, the Young Arts Person of the Year Award.

Head of Music at Painsley, Tara Thorn, who formed the ensemble, won the Professional Arts Individual of the Year Award.

Tara, aged 32, who lives in Tean, was voted winner of the Classic FM Secondary Music Teacher Award earlier this year, which resulted in the college receiving music equipment worth £7,000.

Tara - who has been teaching at Painsley for ten years - became head of music four years ago and took on the role of Head of Performing Arts last November.

She said about winning her latest award: "It's great to be acknowledged as I do put a lot of time into my work. I love teaching music at Painsley College as we have so many talented and gifted students.

"It is also great that our Senior Saxophone Ensemble won the Group Award.

"I set up the ensemble about five years ago with the help of saxophone teacher Sandra Jones.

"We have the school saxophone choir as well but the ensemble is a group of the elite saxophonists at the college. They are all either grade seven or eight. As well as being exceptionally talented, they are a great group, which I can call upon for something like performing at a concert."

Ensemble member Kathryn Leeming, aged 16, said the group meets every Tuesday for rehearsals and has played at a variety of venues.

She added: "It's great that we have had the recognition as we do all work hard."

On winning the Young Person's Award, Kathryn, who lives in Kingsley, said: "I am pretty pleased to have won this award, especially after seeing the videos of the other nominees who were very deserving.

"The awards night was great, especially as I had a lot of friends there. It was quite daunting really as it was very much like an Oscar-style event."

For the fifth year running, Cheadle Primary School took home the Lafarge Cement Arts School of the Year Award.

Representing the school on the awards night was dance teacher Barbara Frayn and teaching assistant Louise Wright.

Barbara, who has been teaching dance at the school for four years, said: "All the children, staff and parents are going to be so proud of getting this award for the fifth year running.

"The children at Cheadle Primary are a fantastic lot to teach."

Louise has been at the school for 12 years, she said: "Everyone at the school works as a team and we also have such a brilliant head-teacher."

The remaining awards went to Biddulph man Eric Cox for Arts Organiser of the Year, Lizzie Nicholls of Longnor for Voluntary Arts Individual of the Year and the Alan Hurst Special Achievement Award went to Susan Gaukroger of Hollinsclough.

Successful start to Cheadle Arts Festival: Page 14