A "sensational" young soprano from Trowbridge has won one of the main prizes at an international music festival.

Sian Dicker, 26, was crowned as the International Voice of the Future at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in Wales.

She was presented with the new Pendine Trophy and a cheque for £6,000 by Mario Kreft MBE, proprietor of the arts-loving sponsor, the Pendine Park care organisation.

Sian clinched the title just ahead of Aberystwyth soprano Catrin Woodruff, 27, and Llandudno tenor Elgan Llyr Thomas, 26. The two runners up both received a cheque for £2,000.

No fewer than 18 hopefuls from around the globe took part in a preliminary competition earlier in the day.

Sian said: “Just performing on that stage was such a thrill. Walking out took my breath away, it’s certainly the biggest stage and audience I have performed in front of.

“It’s the first time I’ve entered a competition such as this and I really didn’t think I could win. The standard has been really high and it’s been stiflingly hot which made it even more difficult.

“The £6,000 cheque is an enormous boost to my finances and will help me pay for my studies. I studied for academic music degree at the University of London and am now doing my Masters in Vocal Performance at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. My one ambition is to be an opera singer.”

Sian is married to Daniel Thorne, who is head of mathematics at the Queensmead School in South Ruislip, in west London.

She said: “Sadly, he couldn’t make it to Llangollen for the competition as he was teaching all day and it’s too far to drive after work to make it on time. We live quite separate lives at the moment due to my studies but he’s my biggest fan and supporter.

“And my mum, Theresa, who is a cellist, was teaching today and couldn’t make it to Llangollen either. But I called them both and they are as thrilled as I am. What an incredible day!”

According to Eisteddfod organisers, the competition was "catapulted into a new league" and attracted a host of the world’s best young singers after Pendine Park contributed £5,000 to the total prize pot, with a further £3,000 coming from Sir Bryn Terfel’s Foundation and £2,000 from the Eisteddfod.

After watching the three stunning performances with his wife, Gill, Mario Kreft said: “The standard of performance we have witnessed was absolutely breathtaking. This is the first year of a whole new format for this competition.

“The adjudicators had a very difficult task but I don’t believe anyone would argue with their final decision. I thought all three performed wonderfully but Sian Dicker was the deserved winner. I hope the recognition she will deservedly get after winning this competition will help her achieve her dream of becoming a major opera star.”

Eilir Owen Griffiths, Music Director at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, said: “The quality of candidates for the International Voice of the Future competition is always extremely high, but this year’s entries have really blown us all away. We would like to thank all competitors for their fantastic performances but our winner Sian Dicker was truly spectacular."

The unenviable task of judging the competition went to leading soprano Elin Manahan Thomas and composer Gareth Jones. Elin said: “The decision was a tough one but Gareth and I both thought, on this occasion, that Sian Dicker was the clear winner.

“The range of colour in Sian’s voice and her stylistic interpretation of the music along with the way her character shone through all resulted in a very polished performance.”