Five teenagers from Renfrewshire are blazing a trail for traditional Gaelic music.

Alex Christie, of Houston, Rachel Hopkins, from Bridge of Weir, and Paisley trio Emma Loney, Emily Fraser and Steven Gallagher only formed as a band in late June but are already in big demand.

They met for the first time after responding to an advert posted by Renfrewshire-based Gaelic arts organisation Fèis Phàislig (Gaelic for 'Paisley Festival'), which wanted to put together a group of talented young musicians.

Known as Feis Phaislig’s Ceilidh Trail, the band is currently touring round local community venues and packing them out.

The group also hope to take part in national Gaelic music festival Blas, which will be staged in Inverness next month.

Band co-ordinator Morag Currie said: "They were put together only six weeks ago with the aim of touring round their local area, putting on concerts.

"The idea is to give them a taste of what it is like to be professional musicians.

"The longer-term aim is to use the band to encourage younger people to get involved in the Gaelic language and culture.

"They have already been doing performances since the start of August, in care homes and local libraries and at an arts festival."

Alex, 18, who plays a type of harp known as the clasarch, is studying music at Newcastle University, while lead singer Rachel, 19, is studying medicine at Aberdeen University.

Emma, who plays the fiddle and accordion, is a pupil at Paisley Grammar School, keyboard player Emily attends the town's Gleniffer High and guitarist Steven is studying music technology in Glasgow. All three are 17.

The sixth member of the group is 18-year-old accordionist Matthew Duncan, from Gartcosh, in Lanarkshire, who has just left school to study mathematics.

The band have also had help from BBC weather presenter Joy Dunlop, who is a Gaelic speaker and singer.

Morag added: "They have not come to us as a group, we have just thrown them together.

"Although they all had an interest in Gaelic music, none of them speak the language, so it has been a big challenge for them.

"They have had to learn as they go along."

Feis Phaislig’s Ceilidh Trail will perform at the Kilbarchan Old Library Centre on Friday, August 12, and the Wynd Centre, in Paisley, on Sunday, August 14.

Both gigs start at 7.30pm and entry costs from £5.