Lancashire soldier Jonjo Kerr made it through to the live finals on the X Factor last night.

The 27-year-old, from Chorley, said he was 'over the moon' and that the show was the 'biggest thing I've ever done in my life'.

Viewers of the popular ITV1 show saw Jonjo, a married father-of-two, named as one of 16 finalists.

Combat-trained Jonjo, who attended Albany High School, joined the Army in 2009 and has two sons, six-year-old Bradley, and Dominic, three months, with wife Melissa.

He was picked by mentor Louis Walsh at the 'judges houses' stage in Barcelona.

Louis told him: "I loved you and I loved your personality."

But before sending him through, he told the private in Corunna Company 3rd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment: "You've had so many chances and you kept forgetting your lyrics."

Sister Siobhan Kerr, 29, a hairdresser, revealed that her brother’s vocal skills and delivery style were honed around the karaoke nights of his home town.

“He’s always been able to just get up and belt out a tune,” she said.

“The Market Tavern and Last Orders were two of his haunts in Chorley and he would always perform at family gatherings.

“Some of his favourite songs are Mack The Knife, The Road To Mandalay and He Ain’t Heavy (He’s My Brother), which he performs with his brother James.

“He has such a humorous way with him and we all think he was born to entertain.

The live finals begin next week.