A music academy is offering music lessons over the internet.

A seven-year-old boy is learning to play the piano with Loughton Music Academy, despite living in Whitstable, Kent.

Daniel Sawa is due to take a classical Grade 1 exam later this year, despite never meeting his teacher face-to-face.

He has two 30-minute lessons a week over Skype with Loughton Music Academy director Cliff Cooper, based in High Road, Loughton.

The lessons are being offered by the academy as part of their outreach learning strategy to provide lessons for people who cannot get to the facility due to distance or mobility issues.

Mr Cooper said: "We have trained a team of teachers in Skype lessons, use the Orange OPC computer and have even designed our own teaching board to use with lessons, and it seems to be working!”

“Daniel has just performed in one of our concerts via Skype from his living room, projected on a large screen so he could see the audience and performers. He played two pieces brilliantly.

“What Daniel has achieved shows how good online lessons can be."

One 30-minute lesson costs £15.