Singing postie Nathan hopes to deliver

The 29-year-old from Bloxwich, whose round covers Cheslyn Hay, Great Wyrley and his home town, was one of just 15 singers chosen after auditioning for the Future Music songwriting competition at Birmingham's NEC.

The father-of-two impressed the judging panel by singing two of his own songs, The Closer You Come, and Keep Your Dreams Alive.

He will now go to Bristol on April 11 where he will be competing against more than 20 singers in the hope of getting through to the finals in London.

The winner of the competition will be given £10,000.

Nathan, who has been singing competitively since the age of 17, was also successful after auditioning for Mecca Bingo's Star Search competition.

Around 50,000 hopefuls around the UK sent in a video audition and the videos were posted online with people asked to vote for their favourites.

Nathan, who has been a postman for more than a decade, will be one of 25 competitors taking part in the regional heats at Mecca Bingo in Oldbury on April 29.

If he gets through the next round, he will compete in the finals in Blackpool in July and would be in with a chance of winning a trip to Hollywood and £5,000.

He said: "I'm over the moon. I enter competitions all over the UK. I was very excited to do my own songs for the Future Music competition and it's exciting that I'm going to be performing in Bristol.

"They are looking for creative new styles. When I appeared in front of the judges I sang a ballad and an uplifting pop song.

"I think at regional finals I will be singing an extended version of The Closer You Come and I'm planning to organise a couple of minibuses so my friends and family can come down.

"I sang Elton John and Limp Bizkit songs to get through for the other competition and I will probably be doing a song of my own and two covers for the next round."