WE are known around the world as the City of Dreaming Spires, but Oxford does have its dark corners.

Now a teenage singer songwriter who has lived in the city her whole life has written a song about her love for Oxford to try to tackle some of its social inequality problems.

Joely Rendle has released her very first single, Clay City, on iTunes in aid of Oxford Homeless Pathways.

The 17-year-old said she had wanted to raise funds for a charity which specifically helps people in her city.

She said: "Clay City is all about the history of Oxford and what it means to me living here.

"I didn't intend to make money from the song so I decided to donate all the money I make from it to the Oxford Homeless Pathways which helps homeless people in Oxford, so it would be great if I could get as many people involved as possible."

Clay City was originally inspired by a conversation Joely had with her mum at their Iffley Road home, when she learnt about the Jurassic deposit of sedimentary rock deep beneath the city streets known as the Oxford Clay Formation.

It also explores the 'lonely passageways' and the 'blackened scars' on the gargoyles of Oxford colleges.

Yet despite the dark undercurrents, her chorus chimes: "I'd like to grow old and tired/ in the city of dreaming spires."

Joely, who was born at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Headington and went to St Gregory the Great School in Florence Park, said: "I was learning more about the history of the city I'd grown up in so there are references to all different parts of the city.

"I love looking at the architecture around Oxford – there's no other city like it."

Now studying for a music diploma at City of Oxford College, Joely recorded the song at home on her computer, playing the guitar herself and adding piano and strings using a keyboard.

She sent the finished mp3 to New York business studies student Caitlyn Lubas who was in the process of setting up her own music label, and was amazed when Clay City was chosen as the Sublime Sounds's very first single.

Ms Lubas has now released the song on Spotify and iTunes, where it is available to download for 99p.

After college Joely is planning to study music at university, and is hoping that Clay City will be just the beginning of her musical career.

Oxford Homeless Pathways head of fundraising Jo Faulkner-Harvey said: "We rely on people like Joely supporting us so we are very grateful for this gesture.

"The song is lovely and the lyrics show a real level of understanding and observation."

Download the single now at https://itun.es/gb/gyi7ib