FORGET Strictly Come Dancing and The X Factor – Manchester's glitterati preferred a night of real live entertainment on Saturday night.

The city's movers and shakers were out in force for the Hilton Hotel's third annual glitzy Star Ball on Deansgate.

Although The Diary suspects video recorders and Sky Plus boxes were frantically being set so as not to miss the TV showdown too…

Even ball hosts, Key 103 radio DJs Mike Toolan and Chelsea Norris made a cheeky nod to the TV rivals.

Mike said: “This is worth missing The X Factor for, trust me.”

Revellers certainly got their money's worth of entertainment at the huge charity ball. For the surprise star bill included chart-topping star Taoi Cruz, soul diva Beverley Knight and dance act Booty Luv who all went down a storm at the do.

And this year's event was more moving than most, with half of the funds raised going to Key 103's Cash For Kids charity, which has been supporting the hospital unit where battling four-year-old Harley Slack has been treated.

Harley, from Hazel Grove, nearly died after contracting meningitis four months ago, leading to all four limbs being amputated, and his plight has captured the hearts of the region who have donated thousands of pounds to help his family provide long term care for the youngster.

Hosts Mike and Chelsea spoke movingly of visiting brave Harley and his family in hospital.

Mike said: “We were fortunate enough to meet Harley last week and we've been told that he'll be home for Christmas which is brilliant news. He's doing really well and his parents really are heroes.”

An auction and raffle helped to raise a massive £50,000 at the ball, with funds to be split between Cash for Kids and the Hilton in the Community Foundation which supports disadvantaged children.

Guests at the bash included young Coronation Street beauties Sacha Parkinson and Brooke Vincent.

The two teen stars took their mums as their guests to the glitzy Star Ball at the Hilton.

And it's not hard to see where the girls have inherited their good looks from - as they posed for our picture with Sacha's mum Leigh and Brooke's mum Nicola.

Despite tasting stardom at such a young age, both girls, 17, remain remarkably level-headed.

Brooke, who has starred in Corrie for five years as Sophie Webster, even keeps her Saturday job as an assistant at her local hairdresser's - and dashed from there to the charity bash on Saturday night.

She giggled: "A couple of hours ago I was on my hands and knees brushing up, and now I'm here."

The girls were joined at the bash by their fellow Corrie star Lucien Laviscount - who defied the conventional black tie dress code - opting instead for a rather stylish Alexander McQueen cravat.

Lucien said: "I didn't realise it was black tie.

"But I do like to be a little different, I'm sick of people wearing the same old things.

"My scarf is Alex McQueen, my suit is Ted Baker - but my boxer shorts are TK Maxx!"

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