CONGRATULATIONS to Cher Lloyd. The Malvern Link teenager will compete in next weekend’s X Factor final in front of a predicted television audience of about 15 million after winning enough votes from the judges last night to make it through.

Cher will be up against some formidable rivals in Matt Cardle, Rebecca Ferguson and One Direction and she is not the bookies’ choice to win.

But favourites do not always come first and though Cher is something of a Marmite contestant, she has as good a chance as anyone else next weekend.

This newspaper has been delighted to support a local young talent in television’s biggest talent show.

There has been plenty of gossip and nonsense about the 17-year-old in the national tabloids.

Digging up dirt is part and parcel of their job, though we find it slightly disturbing that a girl only just out of school should come in for such treatment.

Part of our job is to celebrate local success stories, particularly when they involve local talent on the national stage.

We think it is great to see a local youngster grabbing hold of what might her one big chance in life.

As we report today, Cher and her mentor Cheryl Cole will be coming to Malvern tomorrow when the youngster will play a special show at the Three Counties Showground.

The event will be Cher’s chance to say thanks for the fantastic local support she has received during the last few months.

Let’s hope that support continues in the final.

As we said on Saturday, we are sure Cher will secure a recording contract whatever happens and we expect to see her in the charts in her own right.

But we really hope her first recording will be as the X Factor winner.

• Are you going to the event tomorrow? We need your reaction to the show! Email us at yournews@worcesternews.co.uk before the event and we'll get in touch. Meanwhile we'll be with Cher tomorrow, so follow us on twitter.com using hashtag #WN4cher


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