Family Party

Fans of X-Factor hopeful Joe McElderry lifted their spirits quite literally in a big family party to show their support last night.

Friends, family and well-wishers all congregated in The Office pub in South Shields in a knees-up organised to get behind the North East lad.

More than 40 turned up, from aunties and uncles to people who used to live next door to his nana. With balloons and a big screen to watch the two hours of X-Factor action, they were all excited to see him perform and hopefully go through to the next round, and most were wearing T-shirts with Joe’s picture on it.

Cousin Dave Graham from South Shields had got together with pub tenant Carl Ferguson to put on the party as it was the first live round.

He said: “Every week we’ve had a party in someone else’s house, so we thought for the first live finals we would get a venue.

“His performance was absolutely fantastic – all four judges went wild about him. I can’t believe he held his nerve with millions of people watching and 3,000 in the audience. But he absolutely nailed it. The pub was up – and there was a phenomenal reaction.

“He’s obviously got one chance in 12 but it’s what other people have said about him. Will Young and Robbie Williams rate him and he’s got good feedback. But then I’m going to be biased. He’s a lovely lad – so grounded, and nothing seems to phase him.”

Dave and his friends have been increasing Joe’s odds with an impressive level of commitment. They spent all of yesterday going around supermarkets near their home, wearing the T-shirts and handing out an incredible 2,000 leaflets in the Boldon branch of Asda alone.

Most of the reaction they got was excellent, and some even refused to take a flier, saying they had already decided to vote anyway.

Dave’s daughter Rebecca, 12, went to the Galleries in Washington to drum up support.