CROWDS cheered on their fellow students at a highly-successfuly showcase of skills organised by a sixth form college.

Ten finalist took to the stage at the St Dominic's Got Talent contest on Thursday in the Harrow on the Hill college's sports hall after qualifying through the lunchtime auditions held once a week in the preceding weeks.

The judges - assistant principal Peter Jenks and students Alex O'Neill and Naomi Zamtangi - chose the top three and a decibel meter was used to monitor the roar given to each of them to decide the winner, The Beatboxers, who picked up the crystal trophy and had actually triumphed in a similar smaller-scale competition last year.

"It was a screaming success," said head of visual and performing arts, Kevin Rossall.

"There was singing, dancing, beatboxing, Zumba, stand-up comedy and solo instrumentalists - a real variety.

"Watching them, I thought they could be on Britain's Got Talent let alone St Dominic's Got Talent."

More than half the college's cohort - 600 students - packed into the hall to witness the professionally-staged evening that included announcements in the style of The X Factor's booming 'The Voice', the dramatic orchestral music used to ramp up the tension, and cameras to record and broadcast the performances on a screen.

Mr Rossall said: "There were a group of 25 first year students who as part of their extra curricular Wednesday activity said at the fresher's fair they wanted to get involved in an entertainment company we had wanted to set up.

"The group decided on the name '24 Carat Memories' because one of the things our principal says is that he wants to create 'golden memories' for students.

"The whole thing is a third-year degree project of Sean Doran, who is studyigng at the Central School of Speech and Drama, and the company is going to organise an event every half term and this was their first.

"The proceeds are going into a pot to be spent by the company and next half term they are holding of a version of the children's gameshow 'Get Your Own Back' where teachers will be gunged, and they'll be raising money for charity."

See winners 24 Carat memories below