A COUNTRY music singer whose roots are in Thurrock says she still cannot believe she has won a national award as she continues to crave out a big name for herself in genre.

Florence Sommerville, from Orsett, was recently named UK country artist of the year award at the UK Country Music Awards.

She was also handed the UK female country singer of the year honour at the awards run by UKCountryRadio, which are open to all British and Irish country music artists – or artists of other nationalities who are based in either the UK or Ireland.

The 21-year-old, who released her debut album earlier this summer and has taken here talents to the States where she performed at venues in Nashville, Tennessee, said the recognition was "totally insane".

"It's incredible," she said after last month's awards ceremony.

"I still can't believe that it happened and every now and again I walk past the award sat on my piano and I have to re-read them and check that this is my name on there."

Talking to the BBC, she said she was drawn to country music despite not being surrounded by it in Orsett

"I kind of found it for myself. I was of the generation of Taylor Swift and Hannah Montana - I had the pink plastic guitar."

She said a family friend introduced her to country music, but her parents had only come to love it as a result of Sommerville's passion.

Sommerville described there being a "wave" of younger country music fans who "know all the older stuff".

The singer is currently touring England, with three gigs at small venues in Essex coming up in the next month.

She has twice sold out the Brentwood Theatre in Essex and has played at Maverick Festival, Latitude in Suffolk and Mosley Folk & Arts Festival.

In Nashville, she has played at the iconic Bluebird Cafe.