A MUSICIAN from Redditch has reached the final of a prestigious national songwriting competition.

Martin Hall-Kenny has made the final of the United Kingdom Songwriting Contest where he will battle it out to win a chance to record at the iconic Abbey Road studios.

The 65-year-old submitted 16 songs to the competition and was commended for each one, while five tracks made it to the semi-final of the Brit Award backed competition.

His song 'Don’t Take the Boat Out', which made the final, tells the story of a fictional fishing disaster off the coast of South Wales.

Speaking of his success, Martin said: "I was totally gobsmacked. I've performed in front of people but this is something completely different.

"To have that acknowledgement and approval for my songwriting is amazing."

Martin has been writing his own songs from the age of 12, while his music career has seen him perform all over Europe and the United States.