The 17-year-old former Longdean School pupil will take to the stage with ACM Gospel Choir to sing Joyful Joyful against five other choirs.

The show, presented by Myleene Klass and Nick Knowles, has now reached the live finals stage after seeing 60 choirs in the auditions whittled down to 15 in the heats.

Now six choirs remain in the final stages where the public will vote to eliminate one each week until three are left standing for the grand final.

The whole thing came out of the blue for the youngster who has attended The Academy of Contemporary Music, in Guildford, for a year.

She said: "When our musical director Mark DeLisser sent us to the audition to be on the show, we had no idea it was for Last Choir Standing. He never told us it was such a big audition so it was a bit of a shock."

Rachel, who has been a member of the ACM gospel choir for a year, will compete against the City of Bath Male Choir, Only Men Aloud, Revelation, Sense of Sound and Ysgol Glanaethwy.

Judges, opera superstar Russell Watson, West End star Sharon de Clarke and choral conductor and director Suzy Digby OBE will give their comments but the audience will make the final decision each week.

Mr DeLisser said: " I am so proud of the choir's achievements so far and I am certain that they will continue to go from strength to strength and win this competition."

The choir has been running as an extra curricular activity at the college for more than three years and has a membership of 28 pupils, who take various courses at the academy.