Singing for Cyprus

Like most of her friends at Chatham Grammar School for Girls, 16-year-old Lisa Andreas is studying hard for her GCSE exams. But next week she will take a short break from revision - for the Eurovision Song Contest.

The Kent girl has been selected to represent her country in the contest, staged in Istanbul and due to be watched by a TV audience of up to 400 million. But she won't be singing for Britain - she is representing Cyprus.

The daughter of a British serviceman and a Greek-Cypriot he met while serving on the island, Lisa could have sung for either country. Lisa, who lives in Gillingham and graduated through local talent shows to support slots with Atomic Kitten and Five, was invited by the island's Eurovision committee to take part in their quest for a contestant.

She flew back to Cyprus, where she spent part of her childhood, to take part in the televised competition - and won with their highest ever phone vote.

She is flying to Istanbul this week for the Eurovision semi-finals next Wednesday, when 22 countries will be whittled down to 10 who will join the 14 already in the final. The finalists include British contender James Fox, hoping to restore some respect after last year's "nul points" for the UK's Jemini.

The composer of Lisa's song, a ballad called Stronger Every Minute, is Mike Connaris. He also holds a British passport and twice came close to representing the UK in Eurovision in the late Nineties.

Even if Lisa fails to make the next stage, she plans to stay in Istanbul for the final on 15 May.

She will also be studying hard for the first of her GCSEs - a French exam - less than a week after her return to Britain.

"My school's been great by giving me two weeks off for Eurovision and I'm bringing my school books with me for the trip," said Lisa, who admits to being nervous but excited.

Born in December 1987 - making her this year's youngest contestant - Lisa started playing piano at the age of five. She says she is too busy to have a boyfriend but enjoys dance, drama and netball.

She said: "All my friends have promised to vote for me and I think everyone in England should vote for Cyprus too because you're not allowed to vote for your own country."

And she added: "Since I'm British, you could say that a vote for me is a vote for Britain!"