A MUSIC-mad student is hoping to win the accolade of The Smiths most obsessive fan after being voted into the national final of a radio competition.

Jamie Griffiths became a fan of the 80s band by chance when he heard their song This Charming Man on the radio and investigated further.

The 18-year-old has now become vegetarian, like Smiths singer Morrissey, and has cut his hair into a Morrissey-style quiff.

Jamie hopes to win the title tomorrow, when he battles it out against Dave Rogers from Cambridge on 6 Music, a new BBC digital radio station.

"I deserve to win because I have spent two-and-a-half years worshipping at the church of Morrissey!" said Jamie, a Worcester Sixth Form College student.

"In my own words, it's an obsession on something you can or can't relate to - I've caught the bug.

"The Smiths' music is so modern - on a par with contemporary music.

"I got into Morrissey quickly and in a short time I have become very obsessed."

Jamie was entered for the competition, run by the station as part of a Smiths week, by his step-father Antony Nash.

The winner will be the fan to answer the most Smiths questions on the show.

The grand finale of the competition will take place between 3.30pm to 4pm when the winner is crowned live on air.

Jamie, who dresses in denim, has grown sideburns like his hero, and listens to three Smiths or Morrissey CDs every day.

"I have a lot of people say I look like Morrissey," he said.

Jamie, of Riverview Close, Hallow, Worcester, said he hoped to find a Morrissey-style hearing aid and national health glasses for special Smiths' nights held in Manchester.

Jamie, owns more than 100 Morrissey and Smiths recordings including CDs, rare tracks and demo recordings, bootleg recordings, recordings by Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr and 12 books on The Smiths.

He has seen Morrissey play live at Birmingham Academy and London's Brixton Academy, and Royal Albert Hall.

"I got right to the front of the Royal Albert Hall gig, Morrissey reached out for my hand then pulled it away," said Jamie, who has read books by Morrissey's favourite writers, including Oscar Wilde.

"I don't know if I'd want to meet him because he's an enigma and I want him to remain an enigma."

Jamie, who does not have a girlfriend at the moment, said any future girlfriend living with him would have to "live with Morrissey".

"I think I will feel the same in 20 years time," he said.