Young rockers The Theory of 6 Degrees have won a second place title in the national final of music competition, Live and Unsigned.

The foursome, who have members in Banstead and Ashtead, competed against 17 other bands in the rock/metal/alternative section to take home the runners-up glass trophy in the category – and they are only aged 12 and 13.

They were beaten to first place in the category by Glasgow band The Detours.

The winners of each category, which also includes a solo artists and vocal groups section and indie/pop rock bands, won a recording and management contract with an investment of up to £20,000 to release a single.

More than 10,000 acts entered the competition and had to make it through regional and area finals before reaching the grand final at Portsmouth's Guildhall on Saturday (June 27).

The Theory of 6 Degrees are Scott Verrill, 12, from Banstead and a student at Wallington Grammar on lead vocals/bass guitar, Jack Shepherd, 13, from Ashtead and a student at St Andrew's School, Leatherhead, on rhythm guitar and backing vocals, Joe Boon, 12, from Grayshott, who goes to Bohunt School in Liphook, on lead guitar, and Sam Pollard, 13, from Ashtead, a student at St Andrew's School, Leatherhead, on drums.

Among the judges were former Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren, Radio 1 DJ Annie Nightingale and Future Music Management's Chris Grayston.

When the judges were asked to pick their favourite band of the day McLaren picked The Theory of 6 Degrees.

The band are also playing at this year's Guilfest music festival on Sunday, July 12.

Jack said: "It was the craziest night of my life. I was not too nervous because I was going into it thinking if we don't win it's not the end of the world - we live to see another day. I thought, if we don't win it doesn't matter - just go out and have fun.

"As we started playing it went really well - we played quite tight.

"I didn't think we were going to get into the top five," he said. "We were announced in the top five and as soon as we got on there they said, 'The runners up are The Theory of 6 Degrees.'"

Sitting just outside the judge's top five in the same category were First Strike.

The foursome are Jimmy Robinson, 17, from Carshalton and a student at Wallington Grammar on guitar and vocals, Ben Allison, 17, from Ewell, and a student at the Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM), Guildford, on guitar and vocals, Will Bidwell, 15, from Caterham and a pupil at St Bede's School, Redhill, on bass and backing vocals, and Harry Evans, 16, from Kingswood, and a pupil at The Priory School, Dorking, on drums and backing vocals.

Jimmy says: "Unfortunately we did not win the contest in Portsmouth but we had an awesome time there and were praised by judge Annie Nightingale as her favourite band of the final. The experience was good though and we had fun - we were amazed just to be ranked in the top 20 of 10,000 acts."

Click here to Listen to Your Mum's in the Mosh Pit by The Theory of 6 Degrees

Click here to listen to Bang Your Head (C'mon, C'mon) by First Strike

Check out the bands' my space sites:

www.myspace.com/thetheoryof6degrees

www.myspace.com/firststrikerock

Want to take part in next year's Live and Unsigned? Find out more at www.liveandunsigned.uk.com