A TEENAGE singer who honed her skills at a Wombwell club will appear at the London Palladium this weekend.

Danielle Grace Williams says her performances at pubs and clubs across Barnsley have been some of her best shows - and the toughest.

The 19-year-old, of Upperwood Road, Darfield, did her first concert at Gilroyd social club at Christmas 2004. She appeared shortly afterwards at Wombwell WMC Club.

“It’s two minutes up the road and I saw a few familiar faces. I love doing the working men’s clubs because you meet the nicest people and it has made me a better artist because it has given me a good grounding.

“They are very hard audiences but you have a laugh.”

Danielle has only been singing live for a few months but on Sunday she will be on the same bill as legendary ‘turn’ Joe Longthorne after she was spotted in Carlton Club by Joe's business partner Terry Lodge.

She said: “This is something I wanted all my life and I thought this is crazy. I tried to keep my feet on the ground and tried not to get too excited.”

But after getting signed to play at the Palladium she senses a bright future. “I’m just a Barnsley girl and I don’t want to change but I’m going to see what happens and I want to start working in better venues.

“I’d love to be a well-known artiste making my own music, that's all I ever wanted.”

Danielle will be the second family member to perform alongside Joe Longthorne. As a novice he was on the same bill as her mum, Linda, who sang in clubs as artiste Jenny Gold.