Hundreds audition for X Factor auditions in Newquay, Cornwall: PICTURES

Ed May, general manager of the Great Western Hotel in Newquay, where the auditions were held, said hopefuls were queuing from 5.30am – which with the clocks going forward an hour was effectively 4.30am.

Two producers arrived at around 9.30am, by which point the queue was stretching through the hotel’s garden and out to the road.

He said: “The queue was lively but really good natured and good fun. They were singing and dancing.”

Auditionees were ushered into the hotel’s function room where they had roughly a minute to impress producers.

Those put through to the next round – thought to be in Plymouth – were sent out one way clutching a yellow acceptance slip, with all the unsuccessful singers going through a different door.

It is not known whether the judges will be at the next stage of auditions or whether there is another round to get through before the Cornish contingent get to face the wrath of Simon, Cheryl Cole and the other two judges who have yet to be confirmed.

Mr May said: “I was talking to the producers and they said they were really with how it was going. Out of every 80 people seen here they had put eight through – one in ten was going through.

“In comparison with Belfast, out the 150 auditioned only five got through. In terms of the standard [in Newquay] the standard was very, very high.

“We could hear a bit of the singing and it was very good.”

Despite only planning to stay between 10am and 3pm, the producers didn’t actually leave until around 7pm.

Mr May said despite being initially worried about the X Factor auditions falling on the same day as Mothering Sunday, one of the busiest days of the year for the hotel, in fact everything “went swimmingly”.

Among those getting through was Elvis impersonator Marcellus Hocking, who not only impressed with one of the King’s famous hits but also provided an eye watering finale with the full splits.

Whether his acrobatics will be enough to get him on TV remains to be seen.