A DANCE duo from the North-East will be pirouetting their way through a "special" performance on tonight’s live Britain’s Got Talent semi-final.

Ali Rasul, 16, and Grace Durkin, 17, both students at Stockton Riverside College, will return to television screens after being selected to progress to the final stages of the competition over the weekend.

The pair’s powerful performance from their audition was met with a standing ovation from the audience and the talented teenagers are hoping to recreate that success on stage this evening.

Seventeen-year-old Grace, from Ingleby Barwick, said: “We are so excited, it will be such a different experience doing the live show.

“Everyone will see it there and then. We have made our routine really special. We couldn’t do any more.”

Tonight’s public vote could secure the dancers dreams of entering Sunday night’s Britain’s Got Talent finale when an overall winner will be announced who will go on to perform at the Royal Variety Performance.

The dancers both study performing arts musical theatre together and impressed the show’s judges Simon Cowell, Alesha Dixon, David Walliams and Amanda Holden, with their audition routine.

Sixteen-year-old Ali, from Hartlepool, added: “This is such an amazing opportunity.

“We have been working really hard and training every day, ready for this performance.”

Tees Valley Mayor, Ben Houchen, said:  “Grace and Ali are a fantastic representation of the young people of the Tees Valley.

"They have already wowed the judges and I know they will give it their all in tonight’s live semi-final.

"I will certainly be voting for them and hope that everyone in the region gets behind them and votes them through to the final.”

The North-East starlets will appear on tonight’s Britain’s Got Talent, on ITV1, from 7.30pm.