Prize in sight as 10 acts do battle

Scotland's unlikely singing sensation Susan Boyle is the bookies' red-hot favourite to triumph in front of a predicted viewing audience of close to 20 million.

Young street-dancing star Aidan Davis, from Birmingham, who won the fifth semi-final last night after a sensational body-popping routine, is expected to be her closest rival.

Tonight's line-up includes church volunteer-turned global star Susan, child singers, comic Greek dancers, a saxophonist and old-age pensioner.

Boyle, dubbed the Hairy Angel, has become a worldwide phenomenon since her audition, scoring scoring millions of hits on video site YouTube and gaining celebrity support including that of Hollywood star Demi Moore.

But there were rumours yesterday that the 48-year-old was struggling to handle the pressure, and may even quit tonight's final.

Piers Morgan, one of the show's three judges, played down the talk, saying the "frightened rabbit" fleetingly considered throwing in the towel to escape all the attention.

He said Boyle had packed her bags and was ready to leave her London hotel at one point, having been in "floods of tears", but insisted she had recovered her composure and would definitely be on stage this evening.

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Bookmakers all have Boyle installed as hot-favourite for the title. William Hill spokesman Rupert Adams said: "As far as we are concerned she just needs to turn up to win this."

A spokeswoman for Britain's Got Talent said Boyle was receiving all the support she needed from the show's producers.

"She just wants to focus on her performance, and the well-being of our contestants is our number one priority," she said.

Flying the flag for the Midlands this evening alongside Aidan Davis will be saxophonist Julian Smith from Birmingham, who won the fourth semi-final, and Lichfield-based singing rugby player Shaun Smith.

They will be competing against dance groups Flawless and Diversity, comedy duo Stavros Flatley, young singers Shaheel Jafargholi and Hollie Steel, and musical duo Two Grand - OAP John Neill with his 12-year-old granddaughter Sallie Lax.

Demi Moore isn't the only celebrity fan of the show. Lily Allen has gone on record to say she's a big fan of young Welsh singer Shaheel, and chief judge Simon Cowell appeared to have a particular soft spot for father-and-son Greek dance act Stavros Flatley, describing them as "one of my favourite ever dance acts, fantastic!"

By Carl Jones