Fans yesterday backed Brighton teenager Sam Kelly to go down a storm in Britain’s Got Talent.

Among those to throw their weight behind the singer was Julie Cowell, the mother of show creator Simon.

Julie, who lives in Ovingdean, said she loved watching her famous son on television and that she thought Sam, who studies at the Brighton Institute of Modern Music (BIMM), was fantastic.

She said: “He was very, very good.”

Asked if she wanted someone from the county to win the competition, she added: “Why not? I think we have got some real talent here.

“I don’t talk to Simon about people while they are in the show, but I do talk to him about them afterwards.”

Sam is originally from Norwich but has settled in the city, where he plays a lot of pub gigs.

Over the past few weeks his folky performances have entertained crowds at The Hope pub, in Queens Road, Brighton, and The Brunswick, in Holland Road, Hove.

A member of staff at The Brunswick said Sam played to a packed house there on March 15.

He said “Sam was great. There were loads of people there. We had a full house that night. We would invite him back.”

A BIMM spokeswoman said: “We are really chuffed for Sam. We thought he was great on Saturday night and we wish him all the best.”

On Britain’s Got Talent Sam, 19, entertained the panel of Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, David Walliams and Alesha Dixon with a cover of Bob Dylan’s Make You Feel My Love, which has also been covered by Adele.

After his performance Walliams said: “I think when you tackle a song like that, it’s not just your voice – it’s the way you make us believe you’ve lived every line of that song.

“I was completely blown away.”