A drummer who had her first lessons in the basement of a convent at the age of 13 is holding her first south London concert this month - and is hoping the nuns will come along.

Paula Faircloth, 26, learned to drum with a youth club in the Salesian Convent in Streatham Common North.

She said: "I had piano lessons for years, but I was terrible. Someone suggested that I try a different instrument, and as the Spice Girls were really big at the time I decided to start a girl band.

It was really good fun."

The convent supported Paula’s drumming, and helped her to apply for a grant from the Prince’s Trust which paid for her lessons.

Paula said: "Sister Mary, who was in charge of music, even used to come to our gigs and have a sneaky Guinness or two!"

Sister Mary’s support for young musicians, including Paula and another up-and-coming Streatham band the Mirrorkicks, is widely appreciated, and fans have set up a dedicated Facebook page called "Sister Mary Rocks!"

Paula’s band, the Quadrilles, play "math-pop", which she describes as "short, sharp and technical". For their first concert in Brixton, the band will be dressed in Santa suits and will play Christmas songs as well as their own music.

Paula said: "Our Christmas special is to say thank you to all of our fans for always trekking to east or north London to see us live. We want to show that bands from south of the river rock too, and we don’t have to go to Shoreditch to prove it."

The concert is due to be held at the Half Moon in Herne Hill on December 23, starting at 7.30pm.

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