A YOUNG musician enjoyed a proud homecoming when he took to the stage at this year's Reading Festival.

Ellen and the Escapades bass guitarist Andy Calder, who hails from Henley, played on the BBC Introducing stage yesterday afternoon four years after attending the festival as a teenager.

The 23-year-old, who left his home town to study at Leeds College of Music three years ago, earned the opportunity to star at the event after BBC Introducing judges selected the five piece outfit as one of Britain's most promising up-and-coming bands.

Regional BBC radio stations had recommended scores of bands for the competition, now in its second year, with the 29 overall winners, including Reading's Sixty Watt Bayonets, who performed on Friday, also starring at the Leeds Festival.

Mr Calder, whose close friends came to cheer him on, said: "I used to come to the Reading Festival a lot but since I've moved to Leeds I've not been able to afford it. It's been brilliant to see it from the other side and be up on stage."

The former Henley College student added: "It's a great homecoming - I don't get to see my friends and family that much so it's great to come and play and see my friends and all my mates."

His group, who formed 18 months ago, impressed the crowd with their melodic tones in contrast to the harder and faster indie bands.

Plucky lead singer Ellen Smith, 21, from Leeds, who played an acoustic guitar almost as big as her slight frame, thanked the BBC Introducing team for its support and said: "Great bands come to Reading every year so it's been good to be playing alongside them."

Radio One DJ Huw Stephens, who supports the initiative on his weekly show, said: "I thought the line up was exciting and the music was of a really high quality this year. Reading is a real music fans' festival and it's been very special for all the bands to be playing in front of a large audience."

Visit www.myspace.com/ellenandtheescapades or www.myspace.com/sixtywattbayonets or www.bbc.co.uk/music/introducing/