PONTYPOOL pop princess Demi Holborn's debut single soared into the Top 40 yesterday.

She was delighted when her double A-side of the New Seekers' hit, I'd Like To Teach the World to Sing, and new song My Boy reached an impressive number 27 in the British charts.

Speaking from London yesterday, where she had just recorded live at the BBC and been given a tour of the Top of the Pops studio, Demi said: "I'm excited that it made the Top 30 and very pleased."

The ten-year-old Pontnewynydd Primary School pupil, from Belle Vue Close, Trevethin, beat 7,000 children when she won the GMTV Totstar title, polling 116,365 of the 200,000 votes in a phone poll for the final four.

She immediately gained a recording contract with Universal Records, and on Saturday performed at Party in the Park in Cardiff Castle.

Last night proud mum Louise said: "It is absolutely amazing and we are all delighted.

"It is more than we expected, really, because although we thought she would make the Top 40, to go that step further and make the Top 30, especially in such a competitive industry, is an outstanding achievement."

Her father, Mike, said: "We would like to thank all the people who bought her record, and the Argus and their readers for their fantastic support.

"She's had a brilliant day which she'll never forget."

So is Number 1 the next step? Modest Demi said: "I'm not too sure about that."

Mrs Holborn said Universal would talk to Demi about her follow-up single this week. The top spot in this week's chart was taken by 18-year-old Pop Idol contest winner Gareth Gates with Any One of Us.

* In the picture: Demi Holborn with mum Louise and dad Mike.