The Banbury youngster made it through to the final of the ITV talent show after winning his heat. He was up against eight other young stars including soundalikes of Bonnie Tyler, Kylie Minogue, Joss Stone and wartime entertainer George Formby, the eventual winner.

At just ten years old, Ben was considerably younger than all but one of his rivals, but you would have been hard-pressed to tell from his scintillating performance, singing Cum On Feel The Noize.

Ben said: "It was really good fun and a great experience. I was really proud to get into the final and it meant a lot to me to be able to perform again.

"I never thought I would, so I just really wanted to go for it and give it my best shot. It felt a bit weird singing live on TV for the first time. I thought I was going to do something wrong, and the others were all really good which made me very nervous."

Another cause for concern for Ben was the six-inch platform heels he had to don for the occasion, imitating the outrageous garb sported by the former Slade frontman.

He said: "The clothes were fantastic. The shoes were very funny, but it was a bit difficult to walk on stage and up the ramps. I was a little bit scared of falling over and during rehearsals I nearly did!"

Although disappointed not to win, Ben said he planned to carry on singing now he had developed a taste for it, and added he had gained something of a cult following at his school, St Leonard's Primary in Banbury.
Ben also thanked all the people of Banbury who had supported and voted for him. He said: "My friends all thought it was fantastic and said they wouldn't have been able to do it."

There was a big surprise for Ben when he received a personally recorded message from Noddy, as well as a large signed print showing the rock legend wearing the same, distinctive mirrored top hat as Ben sported on Saturday.

Noddy's advice to him was simple – "keep on rockin'!"

Ben's mum Wendy added: "That really was the icing on the cake. Also, Noddy's wife and son were in the audience to see him perform, and they said Noddy was sat at home watching the show on TV which was lovely.

"I wasn't as anxious as I had been the first time.

"During his heat I had been scared to death he wouldn't come out of the door, but he came out and sang and we really couldn't have asked any more of him. He was fabulous.

"For someone his age who has never done any more than just singing along to the radio around the house before, to go out there on stage and do what he did without being even remotely fazed was unbelievable.
"He does Noddy to a tee."