SIXTEEN-year-old singing sensation Reece Bibby made X Factor history as he made it through to the next stage of the hit ITV show.

The Hollins Technology College student was selected by judges Simon Cowell, Cheryl Fernandez-Versini, Mel B and Louis Walsh to form the competition’s largest ever boyband.

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Reece, whose room audition has had one million YouTube views, performed a heart-throbbing performance of Leona Lewis' Run alongside seven other members of the new, unnamed band.

The performance received a standing ovation from all the judges, while record mogul Simon Cowell said: “We think that amongst this group of eight there could be something interesting to work with.

"When we saw you as eight people, this is no word of a lie, every single one of us said, ‘none of this band can leave’.”

Former Peel Park Primary School Student Reece will now vie for a place in the live finals, along with fellow band members James Graham, 17, Tom Mann, 20, Casey Johnson, 19, Jake Sims, 19, Charlie Jones, 14, Barclay Beales, 18, and Chris Leonard, 18. They will need to impress their new mentor Louis Walsh at his home in Bermuda, as well as perform in front of a special guest.

Walsh, who has managed Boyzone and Westlife to international success, will then decide whether to give the lads a place in the finals.

He said: “The audience were going crazy and they don't even have a name."

Reece’s proud dad, Jamie, said yesterday: “I feel over the moon and very excited. This is the biggest thing that has ever happened to Reece. It is wonderful to see the hard work that he has put in, and the sacrifices he has made, starting to pay off.

“The boys are working hard to get past the judges’ houses stage to the live performances.”

And it isn’t just Reece who is proving popular since first appearing on the show with his guitar.

Younger sister Lexie, who is in Year Four at Peel Park Primary School in Accrington, is in hot demand, said Jamie.

“At school, all the girls want to know about him. She’s seen One Direction in the papers and she is a big fan of them,” he added.

“Lexie loves seeing her big brother on television. It is wonderful to know her brother is following in similar footsteps to One Direction.”