Katie, 18, and band Desire came out trumps in the recent auditions for the X Factor and have sailed through to the Boot Camp stage.

The former head girl at Southmoor School said: "Simon said we had work to do, but he liked us as people. They all said they really liked our styling because we all wore skinny jeans and heels and didn't try too hard."

If they make it through the next round, the five-piece will be following in the footsteps of fellow girl group Hope who made it to the finals of the hit show last year.

Katie even used to work in the same pub, The Ashbrooke, at Hill View, as Hope member Charlie Mole.

For their debut appearance in front of the judges, Desire impressed with renditions of Sway by the Pussycat Dolls and Candyman by Christina Aguilera.

But for Boot Camp they are planning to perform something edgier.
Katie, of High Barnes, said: "We played it safe last time, but this time we want to sing something by Razorlight or Oasis to show them that we can do something a bit different."

The city teenager will be performing alongside band mates Emily Dyson, 17, from Gateshead, and Faye Rogers, Carly Ahmed and Libby Walker, all 19, who are from South Shields.

The girls formed the group after meeting on an advanced musical theatre course at Newcastle College.

Desire have already caught the eye of producers and have been interviewed by presenters Dermot O'Leary and Holly Willoughby.

Now they are hoping their talent will set them on the road to stardom,
Katie, who has just finished her college course and is working at Dakota bar in Sunderland city centre, said: "The last time we were there all day before we got to see the judges. We were so hyped up that we weren't too nervous when we went in.

"We got all yeses from the judges, and, hopefully, we can get that again."

Bandmate Faye said: "Forming the band was a bit of a last-minute decision.

"We are all singers and we just thought 'let's give it a go – we have got nothing to lose'.

"The judges said they saw a lot of potential and Cheryl Cole told us we were beautiful."

She added: "We want to be respected as artists. We can't wait to have our own music because it is so hard to sing other people's, because you are always going to be compared with them."

The Boot Camp takes place in London at the end of July and the ITV show hits our screens later in the year.