Country singer still in shock at national awards

Florence Sommerville has sold out Brentwood Theatre twice, but has also played across the pond in Nashville

A country music singer from a rural Essex village says she still cannot believe she has won a national award.

Florence Sommerville, from Orsett, was visibly shocked when she was presented with the UK country artist of the year award at the UK Country Music Awards last month.

She was also handed the UK female country singer of the year award.

The 21-year-old, who released her debut album earlier this summer and has played venues in Nashville, Tennessee, said the recognition was "totally insane".

"It's incredible," she told BBC Essex, following the award ceremony on 27 September.

"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."

She said she was drawn to country music despite not being surrounded by it in Orsett, which is a small village near Grays.

"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 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.