AN Exmouth teenage band has proved its musical skills by winning a major competition.

AN Exmouth teenage band has proved its musical skills by winning a major competition.

The competition was run by the Bristol Music Foundation and more than 200 bands and artists from all over the South West took part.

Terrible Strangers competed in a heat at Exeter's Phoenix Arts Centre, and the band was chosen to play at Bristol's newly renovated Colston Hall.

The group, whose members are Charlie James, Sam Leworthy, Jamil Sakhawat and Paul Sharpe, have been together for around three years after meeting during a science lesson at Exmouth Community College.

The band has already built a formidable set of songs and a strong following on My Space.

In the last three years they have been filmed in concert and interviewed by BBC 2 and for the BBC Blast website.

They have become part of the Teenage Rampage initiative, which helps young bands develop their careers and business skills.

And they have also been offered the opportunity to record an EP at a top recording studio with the Teenage Rampage label releasing it early in the New Year.

Terrible Strangers has also played on Radio One as Annie Mac and Nick Grimshaw's house band, as well as recording a session and being featured on Radio Devon's BBC Introducing programme.

A spokesperson for Terrible Strangers said: "Previous bands who were successful on the Teenage Rampage initiative have gone on to get major record deals and live gigs at Glastonbury and other summer festivals."

Terrible Strangers is playing at the Phoenix Arts Centre on October 25 2009.

* For more information about the band visit: www.myspace.com/terriblestrangers