A COMMUNTY is coming together to show its support for a TV talent show finalist from North Yorkshire .

Yazdan Qafouri of Great Ayton has been singing and dancing his way to success on the BBC talent show Let it Shine.

Now the 18-year-old has reached the final, a special party is being held in his home-town to enable the community to cheer him on together.

The party is being held at Great Ayton Cricket Club tomorrow (Saturday, February 25) evening from 5.30pm and will feature a live DJ who will break to enable the programme to be screened.

Yazdan, a Yarm School A-level student, battled his way through the auditions and has won a place in the final with his band Five to Five.

They will compete with Nightfall and Drive who are all vying for leading roles in hitmaker Gary Barlow’s upcoming stage production of The Band, which will be loosely based on his experience in Take That.

Yazdan’s immediate family will be in London for the show but some relatives are expected to be at the finals party in Great Ayton.

His mother, Hamideh, is incredibly proud of what Yazdan has achieved.

She said: “He has always loved musical theatre and this is a really good opportunity for him.

“He has been getting better and better as the show goes on. I always hoped they (Five to Five) would get through but it’s all about who votes so you never know.”

Mrs Qafouri has been sending regular messages to her son whilst he rehearses in London and says that although she is excited about seeing him in the final, she is also “really, really nervous” for him.

“He is enjoying it but he is so busy rehearsing,” she said.

“They can be rehearsing from nine in the morning until nine in the evening so as you can imagine he gets very tired.

“He loves it, but he is really, really busy.”

Let it Shine features a judging panel of Gary Barlow, Dannii Minogue and Martin Kemp.

They will award ‘stars’ to the band they think deserves to win a starring role in Mr Barlow’s production.

Yazdan, who is originally from Iran, has starred in many productions for Yarm School but his television success could be his big break.