A former Cheam High School pupil and Finnish pop idol winner has gone on to win €50,000 with his band.

Koop Arponen, 27, was brought up in Cheam and went on to win Finnish Idols in 2008.

He formed an acoustic trio called Flute of Shame which represented Finland in an international song contest called New Wave, held in Latvia during July.

They performed their new single Pictures on my Wall in front of a live audience and 110 million viewers and received full marks from the judges for their original song.

Mr Arponen said: “There were over 17,000 applicants from all over the world and we were one of 16 who got through.

“We didn’t realise what was going on as it was in Russian, but we heard our name and knew we had won something.

“We had a great time and met lots of important people in the industry.”

Alla Pugachova, a Russian entrepreneur, handed them €50,000 in cash. Miss Pugachova said she slected Flute of Shame because their song about an elderly person who lives alone, touched her so much.

Flute of Shame plan to put the money towards their new album which will be recorded in London in January 2012.