A whole range of talents were on show - all trying to get into the final of Lancaster and Morecambe Newspapers' Talent on Show competition.

The majority of the 38 acts were singers and dancers - but they ranged from nine-year-olds singing their hearts out, drummers, hip hop dancers, magicians to an eight-year-old Elvis impersonator and 75-year-old foot dancer.

Roger Obertelli's foot dancing audition was one of the first. With an entourage in tow he walked confidently into the room dressed in suit and straw trilby. He explained he'd never been able to tap dance and then put in a vigorous performance to a county and western track.

He followed Ben Salem who at just eight years old was an extremely confident dancer putting on a wonderful performance of Michael Jackson's Billie Jean. Everyone agreed that he was also incredibly cute.

Lucas Button kicked off the proceedings at 4pm. Just him, a guitar and a lovely singing voice performing Coldplay's Fix You.

Other singers included Emily Vallente, of Ripley St Thomas School, who ambitiously sang Whitney Houston's Saving All My Love for You.

Another challenging song was Valerie by Amy Winehouse, which 14-year-old Gemma Rogers performed. Gemma had also tried out for the ITV show Britain's Got Talent but surely found the Lancaster judges much more amenable that Mr Cowell and his cohort Piers Morgan.

The judges - dance school owner Tracy Austin; stuntman Martin Shenton; events organiser Mary Lucas and at one point Hexagon Theatre events organiser Paul Ineson stepped in as entertainer Trevor Cooke was stuck in traffic - discussed each performance.

"No flat notes" , "bit of makeup needed", "there is something there", "too loud" were all uttered as the auditions continued into the night.

But overall they were impressed by the quality and range of the people who performed in front of them.

The final, sponsored by Jo and Cass, is at the college's Hexagon Theatre on June 7. For tickets ring Michelle Jolly on 01524 834054

THE ACTS GOING THROUGH TO THE LIVE FINAL ARE....

NW culture - hip hop dance act

Jodie Tarney - solo singer

Zoe Leeds - solo singer

David Wilson - magician

Ciaran Sutcliffe - Elvis impersonator

Alan Strong - impressionist

Holly Catherine Johnstone - acrobat

Connor Gallagher- guitar player

Clarissa Bousfield - dances to a little frog song

Lucy McWhirter- singer

Amy- Jo Clough- singer

Jay Dinsdale- singer

Ben Salem- dancer

Kirsty Harvey- singer

Eva Anne Parkinson- singer

Danny Matthews- drummer