A BAND with links to the North East has been nominated for one of the music industry’s most coveted awards.

Everything Everything’s debut album Man Alive is in the running for the 2011 Barclaycard Mercury Prize.

Songwriter and lead singer Jon Higgs is from Gilsland, near Haltwhistle, Northumberland, while drummer Mike Spearman is from Corbridge.

Both attended Hexham’s Queen Elizabeth High School.

The quartet is completed by Jeremy Pritchard, who Jon met when studying music in Manchester, and guitarist Alex Niven, from Guernsey.

The act, now based in Manchester, was formed in 2007.

The band is among 12 acts that will battle it out for the Mercury Prize and £20,000 prize money.

Everything Everything face competition from artists including Brit Award winners Adele and Tinie Tempah.

PJ Harvey, 2001 Mercury Prize winner, is a favourite to win.