THE joy is still setting in for two teenagers from Cumbria after they successfully made it through the blind audition round of popular talent show The Voice.

On Saturday night (27) Eliza Gutteridge and Anna Willison-Holt, both 17 and from Penrith, took to the stage hoping to impress a celebrity panel of vocal coaches with their performances.

Anna's mother, Helen, 51, originally from Barrow but now living in Great Strickland, described the tension of watching her daughter perform.

"Honestly it was the most nerve-wracking moment. I don't know what it felt like for her but for me it felt like an eternity."

Anna's performance of Never Forget You by The Noisettes won over coach will.i.am who chose to take her through to the next round of the contest.

Now the strict secrecy behind her performance has finally been lifted, Anna says she is still letting it all sink in.

"I can't put it into words. It is amazing. After last night it seems much more real now," she said.

Commenting on her song choice, she added: "I really wanted something funky, something with an offbeat, a reggae beat. I wanted to get the audience moving."

Her close friend from the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, in Penrith, Eliza Gutteridge, took to the stage afterwards, desperate to make it through to the final round alongside her.

Eliza, of Long Marton, Penrith, said: "I was over the moon for Anna but that put so much pressure on me. Everything was counting on that moment.

"All my emotions were so high. I was so nervous. It feels like a dream."

Viewers saw the agony Eliza and her family went through as the song went on. Several coaches came close to choosing her but kept hesitating. However, in a seeming nod to fate Sir Tom Jones, one of Eliza's singing idols, took the leap and will take her through to the next round.

I wasn’t lying @realsirtomjones

A post shared by Eliza Gutteridge (@elizafayemusic) on Jan 27, 2018 at 1:30pm PST

Eliza said: "When no one turned you could see the devastation on my face. I held that last note on for as long and powerfully as I could."

Eliza's mum, Yvonne Eardley, 50, added: "We are so proud of Eliza. She sings from her heart and brings us all so much joy."

Now through the blind audition rounds the pair will get back to their normal lives in Cumbria until the next round of The Voice, in late February.