X Factor hopefuls queue at Clacton pier for first round of auditions

As part of a nationwide tour to find the country's top vocal talent ITV producers headed to Clacton pier for the first time ever to listen to budding stars from across the district and beyond.

Among them was 35-year-old Louise Sheffield of Skelmersdale Road, Clacton.

Louise Sheffield rehearsing with a friend 

She said: “I’ve wanted to audition for a long time but have never really had the confidence, but as it is the first time that Clacton has hosted auditions I decided to go for it.”

Louise chose to sing a rendition of Celine Dion’s ‘Dance With My Father’ as a tribute to her stepdad who passed away last year.

“He raised me like a father and I know he would have come down here with me if he was still alive.”

Kelsey Griggs, 31, from Clacton, arrived to the audition with her three-year-old daughter Brooke who she hoped to make proud.

Kelsey Griggs hopes to make her daughter proud 

She said: “Clacton pier has always been a huge part of my life and it is very sentimental to me as my uncle Brian O’Shea has worked there for 23 years.

“So it’s a great opportunity for me personally to come down here in the familiar surroundings of the pier to audition.”

Also in the queue was Mary Rose, 37, whose family live more than 6,000 miles away in the Philippines.

Mary Rose is auditioning for her mum in the Philippines 

Mary said: “I don’t have much confidence with singing but my friend told me that it was a once in a lifetime opportunity and persuaded me to come and audition to ‘Unthinkable’ by Alicia Keys.

“My mum, who still lives in the Philippines, has recently been diagnosed with dementia and I have come here today to make her proud and tell her that I finally got the confidence to audition.”

Connor Wood, 18, from Harwich, who studies music at Colchester Institute, said he has never done anything like this before and has chosen to audition on the spare of the moment.

Connor Wood auditioned in the spare of the moment 

He said: “People who inspire me are singers like Ed Sheeran, James Arthur and even Stevie Wonder.

“I’m stuck between singing James Arthur’s ‘Say You Won’t Let Go’ and Ed Sheeran’s ‘Thinking Out Loud’.

“I have had the most feedback for the Ed Sheeran number as I performed for one of the first times out of college at Deano's Wine Bar in Harwich which I really enjoyed.”

If they can impress the X Factor team with their vocals they will be in with a chance of going on to audition in front of the famous X Factor judges in the summer.

• If you fancy auditioning, it's not too late. Producers will be Culver Square in Colchester tomorrow (Thursday, March 16) from 10.30pm to 5pm. You can register here or just turn up.