The screams of fans and the thunder of fireworks welcomed X Factor star Sam Bailey back home to Leicester this evening.
A crowd of thousands massed outside Athena in the city, waving posters and waiting for a chance to hug and high-five the hot favourite to win the talent contest this weekend.
Wrapped up in a scarlet coat, the 36-year-old mum from Leicester Forest East spent more than half an hour making her way down the red carpet laid out for her arrival, chatting to fans while fireworks went off overhead.
She then performed at Athena, where 1,800 lucky ticket holders screamed as the velvet-voiced prison warden took to the stage in a sparkly black top and leather trousers. The proceedings were filmed by TV cameras for the X Factor final.
Sam told the crowd: "It's really great to be here. I'm so overwhelmed.
"Shall we have a bit of a sing-song?"
She kicked off the set with Whitney Houston's How Will I Know, and also performed Beyonce's If I Were A Boy which helped win her a place in the finals during last weekend's X Factor.
Speaking to the Leicester Mercury before the concert, Sam said: "It's lovely to be back.
"I was in London last night and drove up to Manchester for a radio interview this morning and coming back into Leicester past the King Power stadium, I wanted to stop and get out."
Among the crowd that welcomed Sam was Courtney Simmonds, 11, from Saffron Lane, Leicester.
She said: "She's the best singer ever and the greatest on X Factor.
"When she came down the red carpet I was screaming really loud."
Her sister, Clare, 19, said: "It was brilliant. We're all voting on Saturday and she's going to win it."
Pamela Peel, 51, of Thurnby Lodge, said: "She's going to win it and she's the best thing out of Leicester for a long time.
"It's about time we had someone to be so proud of.
"The atmosphere tonight has been brilliant and it's something you don't see in Leicester every day."
Erica O'Neill, 22, of Loughborough, said: "She's just such as lovely woman and I really want her to win for her sake - she really deserves it.
"It's been mad here tonight and it's lovely because we're all here for here not just to get a glimpse of her and hear her sing but to say good luck."
Zach Mathieson, 14, of Thurnby Lodge, Leicester, said: "I'm a big, big fan. She's amazing and I hope she wins.
"She's just a normal person on telly but she's a brilliant singer.
"When she got here I got as close as I could get to the front."
In the X Factor final at the weekend, Sam will be up against Luke Friend and Nicholas McDonald in the final. She will perform Edge Of Glory by Lady Gaga and Power Of Love by Jennifer Rush, as well as duet And I'm Telling You with Nicole Scherzinger.
