North East hopefuls battle to win X Factor crown
This year's X Factor could see another North East act crowned the winner, with Amelia Lily and Little Mix in the final.
South Shields' Perrie Edwards and Jade Thirlwall, from girl band Little Mix, and Middlesbrough's Amelia Lily face Marcus Collins in the final on Sunday.
Joe McElderry, also from South Shields, beat Olly Murs to win the sixth series of the show in 2009.
After the show, Amelia posted on Twitter: "Guys can't even thank you all enough for voting for me! I'm so grateful, can't believe I'm In the final of TXF! Love you all so much lilys'!"
Amelia was eliminated in the first live show by mentor Kelly Rowland, but was voted back in by the public to replace Frankie Cocozza when he left the show after breaking the rules.
Her father Barry Oliver said he was "on cloud nine" when he found out his daughter was through to the final.
Mr Oliver added: "I'm still driving around with my head in the clouds now.
"I don't think it will sink in until next weekend when I see her on stage in the final."
While 17-year-old Amelia is the youngest act to make it through, Little Mix is the first girl band to get to the final.
Jade, 18, said on Twitter: "I knew I could believe in our fans :) you'll never know how much we love u n how thankful we are that uv got us to the FINAL! xx"
The other members of the band are Jesy Nelson and Leigh-Anne Pinnock.
Perrie's mother Deborah Dufty said: "Me and Norma [Jade's mum] both can't thank people enough for the amount of support that we've been getting.
"The North East has been right behind the girls right from the beginning and it's absolutely fantastic."
Jade and Joe McElderry both performed at the Customs House in South Shields before entering the X Factor.
Press officer Keir Waugh, said: "It gives it [the town] a real lift, if you walk along the main shopping streets or just into the supermarkets, everybody's talking about it much like they did with Joe.
"For a town that is often sort of overshadowed by Newcastle and Sunderland, it really does give us a massive, massive boost."
Labour MP for South Shields David Miliband also showed his support for the girls on Twitter. He tweeted: "Well done little mix on getting through to the xfactor finals!"
Little Mix are now the bookies' favourites to win X Factor after Misha Bryan was booted out of the show on Sunday.
The four remaining acts will perform in front of 10,000 people along with Michael Buble, Leona Lewis, JLS, One Direction and Coldplay this weekend.