A FIDDLE player from Newport has been asked to play with folksy pop band Paper Aeroplanes and she’s only 12-years-old.

Meg Cox, of Clevedon Road, has only been playing the fiddle for two years but after supporting the band at a gig earlier this month she was delighted when they asked her to join them on stage.

Sarah Howells, vocalist in Paper Aeroplanes, said: “We were playing a gig and she was the support act and we got back just in time to hear her. We were blown away. Unlike a lot of young musicians, she was improvising and playing by ear. I thought that was a really great skill.”

The year 8 pupil at St Julian’s high school started off by playing the mandolin and the guitar with the help of her father, Dave Cox.

“I always wanted to go on to the fiddle. I picked it up quicker because of the mandolin.”

The self taught musician is used to playing with bands and older players as she’s been accompanying her Dad to folk sessions in the pub since the age of four. Meg played at the Bath folk festival this summer and is a regular booking at Newport’s Kama lounge.

Meg said: “I’ve grown up playing with older people, so I’m just used to it.”

Meg prefers the freedom of folk music, as opposed to classical methods. She said: “You don’t have to stick to the book, you can make your own version.

“I just put feeling into it. It’s in my blood.”

Meg’s favourite subjects at school are art, welsh and English and she says that homework always comes before music. But she could hardly believe it when Paper Aeroplanes, who she’s a big fan of, asked her to join them.

Meg, who also sings and has tried her hand at song writing, said: “As soon as I heard her voice – I was like wow, I need to practise my high notes.

“I’d love to have a band of my own one day.”

She will join the band for the song ‘My first love’ being performed as part of Diverse Music shop’s 25th anniversary celebrations. The rehearsals will be quite last minute as the only time they will practise together is on the day of the gig. But Sarah isn’t worried, she said: “She was so relaxed at the gig. She’ll be fine.”

Meg will be playing with Paper Aeroplanes at Le pub, Newport, tomorrow from 8pm.