MALVERN singing sensation Cher Lloyd is through to the next round of X Factor.

The 17-year-old overcame her critics to sail through to the next round after receiving enough of the public vote.

In last night’s results show, Nicolo Festa and FYD became the first acts to be booted off the ITV1 show after losing a sing-off with Katie Waissel.

Cher, a former pupil of Dyson Perrins High School, had performed Just Be Good To Me by The SOS Band on Saturday night’s live show.

Her performance won her acclaim from all four judges.

Simon Cowell said: “Any doubts as to why Cheryl [Cole] picked you a couple of weeks ago have just been totally blown away.

“You are exactly what we are looking for, which is a new little star. I absolutely love you.”

And Louis Walsh said: “For just a little girl you have got incredible stage presence. You are like a little doll, but when you sing it’s just very, very powerful.”

Cher herself seemed pleased with her performance, saying: “That felt wicked. I have proved myself now.”

In Malvern there were tears of joy as members of Cher‘s family and friends watched her flawless performance at the family’s local pub the Express Inn in Malvern.

Her parents and close family were in the London audience, but back at home uncles Dwayn and Damian Lloyd were in the pub with their partners Jamie Smith, aged 33, and Kelly Summers, 23.

Dwayn, 35, said: “I am delighted for Cher. I always knew she could do it, the times she has sung to us. She is very talented.

“We are just so very, very, very proud of her and we are just asking for people to get behind her and vote. Her gran, who died a few years ago, would have been so proud of her too.

“To see her in all the papers and the magazines is just amazing. We are buying them all up. We don’t agree with everything that is being written about her, though, and some are being very unkind.”

Damian, 34, said he was nervous to watch her on stage. He said: “No matter how far she goes, she is always going to be special to the whole family. There are some good acts on there and she has a bit of competition, but we are hoping she goes all the way.”

Miss Smith said: “I was so happy when she got through last week. She’s doing so well.”

Landlady Donna Stimson said they were holding the celebration to back Cher as her family were regulars, and said she really hoped Cher won.

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