TEENAGE singer Luke Friend, from Teignmouth, is wowing the judges on ITV's X Factor.

The 17-year-old, who is a student at Coombeshead Academy, Newton Abbot, performed the Ben E King song Stand By Me at the weekend's audition stage, winning praise from a judging panel which this year sees the return of Sharon Osbourne.

He said: 'Before I went in I was nervous because it was just me and the four judges.

'Once in the room and singing, my nerves disappeared and I was blown away by Nicole, she is so beautiful, Sharon is warm and lovely, Louis is so cool but fair and Gary is just a legend.