THEY didn’t perform in front of Gary Barlow or get a consoling hug from Dermot O’Leary at the Middlesbrough X Factor auditions. LUCY RICHARDSON meets excited wannabes dreaming of following in the footsteps of last year’s homegrown winner, James Arthur.

Matthew Perrie only decided to give it a go on Wednesday but now, two days later, he is walking out of a secret singing ‘booth’ beaming with joy and clutching an elusive yellow ticket – his pass into the next stage of the primetime ITV competition which offers a recording contract as its top prize.

“My heart was beating so fast, I’m shocked,” he said. “Now what happens is they will call me up in a few weeks and tell me about the next stage auditions in Manchester.”

"I sang “Nobody’s Perfect by Jessie J” and “Defying Gravity” from the musical, Wicked.

"There was one judge sitting in there, after I sang she said she wasn’t sure so she called in someone else and they gave me the lucky ticket.

“I am overwhelmed,” added the Freebrough Adademy pupil from Skelton, east Cleveland.

Only one hopeful turned up when auditions opened in Colchester, Essex, earlier this week but a queue of more than 100 had gathered in the Cleveland Centre, Middlesbrough, by 9.30am today (FRI) which held the casting call in an empty shop.

The town boasts an impressive track record in the competition, Journey South came third in 2005, as did Amelia Lily in 2011, followed by James Arthur, from Saltburn, whose debut song, Impossible, sold over 1.3 million copies and become the best-selling The X Factor winner's single of all time.

Steadying her nerves before her big moment was Toni Louise Curry, 22, from Middlesbrough, who was gearing up to perform “Come Together” by the Beatles. “I got through to the second stage last year so hopefully I will do better this time, you have to think big,” she said. “I have sung from being a little girl but always lacked the confidence to take it further."

Also warming up his vocal chords was Stephen Alderson, 49, from Stockton. “I tend not to sing first thing in the morning,” he explained. “I am going to do the theme from Love Story. There are not a great deal of musical outlets in the area so I’m just going to do my best. I’m not sure if I have the look that they want, I’m not very image conscious as you can probably tell.”

Passerby Barry Gorman shook his head at the assembled throng. “You should have seen the talent that used to come through in the pubs and social clubs,” he said. "We could go and see the Rolling Stones and the Beatles, Mick Jagger is almost 70 and still going strong,” added the 61-year-old from Middlesbrough. “Now it’s all about instant glamour, everybody is grabbing at straws and chasing rainbows.”