A SINGING dentist is thrilling instead of drilling after clinching a £1 million record contract.

Classically-trained tenor Andrew Bain has been opening wide to warble hits in a style that fills the gap between opera and classical.

The 35-year-old, of Thorpe-le-Soken, was working as an NHS dentist in London when his demo CD was snapped up by global giant Sony BMG.

Since then, the former pupil at Colchester’s Holmwood House prep school has performed on BBC Breakfast and GMTV – and wowed the crowds at the Bestival music-fest in the Isle of Wight.

Mr Bain, who also attended Rolph Primary School in Thorpe, was given his first singing training by former choirmaster John Ambrose, at the village’s St Michael’s Church.

He was spotted by an agent while at university but only made the big time after ditching traditional material in favour of chart-toppers.

He caught Sony’s ear with his rendition of Prince’s Purple Rain and his debut album, released next month, features tracks like Dolly Parton’s I Will Always Love You, Everything I Do by Bryan Adams and Abba’s The Winner Takes it All.

Mr Bain said he had “got lucky” after years of giving all his free time to singing, even while studying dentistry at university in Bristol.

“I managed to pass all my exams – in fact I did quite well – but I did spend all my spare time in shows,” he said. “It was a case of working hard all day and singing by night.

“I decided to start making demos this year in my bedroom and sent them off to various management and record companies.

“Sony picked up on it and it was the covers of pop songs that they really seemed to like.”

Andrew Bain Presents Modern Classics is released on November 24.

You can see Mr Bain in action on his website andrew bainmusic.com, where his single, a version of Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol, is available to download.