HEAVY rock won the day as What Is Life For were crowned the inaugural champions of Quest For The Chest.

The Southampton-based guitar group scooped a host of prizes including headline gigs, free CDs and £500 in hard currency.

The ‘chest’ of prizes also included four Pot Noodles and a rubber chicken, and was awarded after the contest’s grand final.

It was held at the Talking Heads in Southampton on Saturday (October 30) in front of a packed audience.

Eight acts, who had impressed the audience and judges at qualifying rounds earlier this year, squared up for the title.

Nine musical judges put their crosses in the box along with members of the audience, who could vote for two bands each.

Once the ballots were counted, What Is Life For, who were the last band on stage, emerged triumphant.

Second place went to the hotly-tipped quartet, Doyle and the Fourfathers, who received a trophy and £50.

The other acts at the final were Black Swan, Defy 4, The Morphic Fields, Tommy Eye, The Strings and Sam Ziggy.

The contest was organised by James Wills and Ben Dlugokecki of Southampton-based promoters Jurassic Mark.

Following the success of Quest for the Chest, they are now talking about holding the event again in 2011.