DAGENHAM duo Distinctive and Newham outfit The Fenders have both won through the area final of Live and Unsigned competition. The stripped down, acoustic sound of Distinctive s Lewis Morlang, 25, and Jay Aldridge, 24, proved a winner with judges in Basild

DAGENHAM duo Distinctive and Newham outfit The Fenders have both won through the area final of Live and Unsigned competition.

The stripped down, acoustic sound of Distinctive's Lewis Morlang, 25, and Jay Aldridge, 24, proved a winner with judges in Basildon, as did the indie/grunge of Luke Cable and Bob and Paul Haydon.

The two bands are now just one step away from the national final.

The overall winner of the competition wins a recording and management contract with Future Music, with an investment of up to �20,000 to release their single including professional studio time, promotional campaigns and more.

Lewis and Jay have only been performing together for about a year.

Lewis, a former Eastbury School pupil who now works as an industrial chemist, says: "It's difficult to describe our sound. We have a wide variety of influences. I like Coldplay, Tracy Chapman, James Morrison..."

The Fenders have been together for about two years, changing from a covers band to playing their own stuff.

Distinctive and The Fenders play the east area final at the Towngate Theatre, Basildon on May 12, for a place in the national final.