FOUR talented girl group singers were stunned to win an X Factor-style competition which raised more than £1,500 for charity.

The Songbirds — made up of Steevie-Leigh Crossley, Jess Willcock, Zara Horn and Olivia Higham — landed the top spot in the singing contest held in Victoria Square.

The event, organised by UK Charity Aid’s Peter Quinn for Bolton Hospice, attracted 25 performers of all ages who helped raise £1,596.

Mr Quinn, of Laburnum Avenue, Atherton, said: “We were delighted with the public response.

“It was amazing how much local talent just turned up.

“There was a three-year-old girl who sang Let It Go (from Disney film Frozen) and a little old lady.

“The winners were really worthy winners, really talented girls.

“They reminded me of a cross between Il Divo and the Spice Girls.

“It was a really great day and the public really warmed to it and very much enjoyed it.”

The Songbirds, friends from Sharples School, have been performing together for three years and numbers on the day included a version of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah.

The winners were awarded a trophy, handed over by Stephanie Larkin, community fundraising assistant at Bolton Hospice.

Steevie-Leigh, who is studying musical theatre at Pendleton College in Salford, said: “We just wanted to get out there a bit more and we wanted to raise money for charity.

“It was so good.

“We didn’t really go in to win, we just wanted the experience.

“The other singers were really good, it was great to watch them all.”

In the past 10 years, UK Charity Aid has raised more than £60,000 for a variety of charities.

These include the Christie Hospital where Mr Quinn was treated for bowel cancer, between 1998 and 2000.