X FACTOR finalist Shayne Ward has been preparing for showbiz stardom all his life, as our exclusive picture shows.

The Clayton lad, who celebrates his 21st birthday today, faces a public vote to stay in the competition on the first live show of the series tonight (Saturday).

And the M.E.N. is urging readers to pick up the phone and vote for the born performer, who is Manchester's last hope in the competition.

His relatives are flying the M.E.N. flag for Shayne to boost his chances in the live televised vote.

Shayne, who worked as a shop assistant at New Look in the Arndale Centre before X Factor, is the bookies' favourite to win after an emotional rendition last week of The Hollies' classic The Air That I Breathe.

But his success comes as no surprise to relatives, who have been entertained by Shayne and his twin sister Emma since they were both toddlers.

The music-mad pop hopeful comes from a large, close-knit family of keen amateur singers and was raised on a diet of Motown classics and traditional Irish ballads.

He told the M.E.N: "I can see myself in the second round but it all depends on the public vote. I'm keeping my fingers crossed everyone back home in Manchester will get behind me.

"I'm having a great time on X Factor - we're all winners to have got so far. I really appreciate the support I'm getting from the Manchester Evening News and my home town."

When Shayne was 12 he was violently mugged near his home and he used performing to rebuild his confidence. Over the next few years he would sing and act in a number of school productions at St Peter's RC High School in Belle Vue.

Since Shayne started appearing on X Factor, teenage girls have been making pilgrimages to his family home and pictures of the local hero have gone up in windows all over his neighbourhood.

Proud mum Philomena Ward said: "Shayne was born two months premature and was given 24 hours to live because he couldn't breathe properly - but he's certainly got powerful lungs on him now.

"He and his twin sister Emma would entertain us all by singing I Should Be So Lucky when they were only tots. I knew there was something special about them from back then.

"Shayne really wants this, but when he gets knocked down he just gets back up again. Our family has not always had it easy, but Shayne is singing to give us a better life.

"He tells me that fame would be nice, but all he really wants to do is help his mum."

X Factor is on ITV1 from 6pm tonight with the results at 8.35pm.