X Factor wanabees gather for auditions

Thousands of people searching for fame queued for hours outside Birmingham's LG Arena as the X Factor auditions came to town.

Wannabe stars from all over the country travelled to the region in the hope of repeating the success of last year's winner Matt Cardle and fans' favourites One Direction.

Faced with the prospect of performing in front of the camera, nervous hopefuls were distracted as members of the spectacular talent roadshow entertained the crowd, which snaked around the arena car park.

Zara Rageh, of Stone Cross, West Bromwich, was hoping to follow in the footsteps of Wolverhampton One Direction star Liam Payne.

Miss Rageh, of Glastonbury Road, who studies dance at Kingston University in London, had prepared a series of R 'n' B and soul numbers.

But she still had not decided which to perform at her daunting talent trial as she waited.

The 20-year-old, who visited the auditions with her sister Hannah, said: "This is mad, I can't believe the crowd.

"I'll be keeping my fingers crossed I can make it through."

A Bhangra troupe warmed up the mass of would-be pop icons with a rendition of Slumdog Millionaire's signature tune Jai Ho by AR Rahman.

A clutch of volunteers were then plucked from the crowd to dance in front of the camera and the buzzing queues.

Lightning-mopped Charlie Yound, of Southam Close in Coventry, was one of the lucky few.

Mr Yound, aged 17, was left out of breath after a dazzling display of rhythmical gymnastics including the splits.

Engineer David Jones, of Bentley Road, Bushbury, Wolverhampton, held out hope his repertoire of classic pop numbers and talent show nouse would see him through the auditions.

The 60-year-old father of three said: "I've done shows before singing in front of 1,800 people and I do Neil Diamond tracks, some Elvis and Lionel Ritchie so I'm hoping to impress."

Walsall Hospital chef Julian Morgan, of Ravenhill Terrace in Rugeley, thought he would appeal to the show's modern pop sensibilities with his rendition of The Flood by Take That.

"I sing regularly at karaoke and thought I'd give it a go and have a laugh," he said. Mr Morgan's friend Nigel Connolly joined him to test his singing mettle.

Mr Connolly, who works at Bag Market Ltd, based in Stafford, said: "It's our first time at auditions but the crowd are really great, it's hardly felt like we've been queueing for hours.

"We sing at the Fox and Hounds in Great Haywood, near Stafford, a lot, and the Miners Arms in Brereton so hopefully that can help." Open mic poetry readings gave Natasha Harris, who grew up in Granville Close in All Saints in Wolverhampton, her first taste of performing.

Miss Harris, aged 36, who now works as a security guard in London, said: "I had no idea what to expect at the auditions but the crowd is massive and I've never been anywhere like it."

Roles in school shows were the inspiration for Walsall schoolgirl Beth Hunt to chase her dream. Miss Hunt, who attended with mum Jayne, centre manager at Park Hall Community Association, said: "I have just loved watching the show since it started.

"You get the good ones and the bad ones at the early stages and that's fantastic, I hope I'm not the latter."

Successful acts will go on to future rounds of the competition.