Aspiring pop star Sam Callahan progressed safely into the second week of the X Factor live shows.

Sam, 19, from Great Totham, was the fifth of 12 finalists to perform on Saturday night's bumper two-and-a-quarter hour show.

The teenager avoided being placed in the bottom two of the public vote tonight to ensure he continues on the ITV show.

The former William de Ferrers school pupil sang a version of Bryan Adams' 1985 hit Summer of '69.

His performance was well received by the X Factor audience, but Sam's vocals came in for criticism.

Judge Sharon Osbourne said: "You have just got the whole package for me. You've got such likability, you're a great performer and you've got a good voice.

"Not a brilliant voice but you've got the full package and I love you."

Take That frontman Gary Barlow said: "You definitely look like a pop star and all the girls here loved this tonight, but it's going to come down at some point to vocals and tonight the vocals were quite poor - you've got work to do here."

Boyband Kingsland Road, featuring Joe Conaboy, 19, and Josh Zaré, 20, of Rayleigh, were one of the night’s standout acts.

The five-piece wowed the judges with their performance of Wham’s I’m Your Man.

Sam, who works as a barman at OAKhouse in Maldon High Street, avoided being bottom of the public vote on Saturday night, but faced a nervous wait until this evening to learn his fate.