BOLTON singer Tony Finbarr-Smith is hoping that getting through to the finals of one of the country's biggest talent contests will set him on the road to music fame.

Tony, a 25-year-old IT technician for BT, impressed judges in the auditions for South Coast Idol at Brighton recently and will be competing against 20 others in a live contest on March 30.

If the singer, from St George's Road, Bolton, wins the grand final he will earn himself a management contract and the opportunity to do as many as 50 gigs in the South of England.

The competition can be seen on ITV's new broadband channel www.itvlocal.tv