SOCCER-loving schoolgirl Vanisha Patel will be joining superstars of sport as she contends for a TV award on Saturday.

The 12-year-old, from Walmer, near Deal, will be at the Hilton Hotel, London, along with the likes of Olympic boxing hero Amir Khan, England and Spurs goalkeeper Paul Robinson, cricketers Mark Ramprakash and Faroukh Engineer and athlete Kriss Akabusi.

Entertainers appearing include groups Girls Aloud, Rouge and Big Brovaz.

She has been nominated as one of three finalists in a category of the Sony Entertainment Television Sports Personality of the Year Awards, which honours talent from the sporting community with an Asian background. The programme will be broadcast on Sony's satellite channel 802.

Vanisha, midfielder and captain of Deal Town Rangers girls' team, admits to being inspired by the film Bend It Like Beckham and is one of three in line for the Asiana Magazine-sponsored junior female sports personality.

She said: "My mum entered me for the award but I didn't think I would be selected. Then they telephoned to say I was a finalist and sent a TV crew to the Charles Ground to interview me and film me training. Now I can't wait for the final, it sounds really exciting."

The piece is being broadcast, along with similar interviews with other finalists, this week and viewers invited to vote for their favourites. To vote for Vanisha ring 0901 429 2257.

The other nominees are a volleyball player and a world-championship standard golfer.

Encouraged by her mother Margaret and father Nitin, Vanisha started playing in the Deal Town boys' team two years ago and has since also been in the Charlton under-14 development squad, training at Dartford.

She said: "I just started kicking a ball about and enjoyed it. I was inspired by Bend It Like Beckham because it showed an Indian girl playing football."

A Chelsea fan, her favourite players are Gianfranco Zola and Didier Drogba, but soccer is far from her only interest.

The busy Vanisha is also a black belt at Mongeham Karate Club, a district-standard cross-country runner, represents Walmer School at netball, enjoys tap and modern dancing at the Footsteps school, and plays the clarinet.

Her younger brother, Mikesh, plays for Deal's under-nine team.