POPSTARS reject Stuart Pawley is still hoping to make it big - by setting up his own band with another contestant.

Stuart, 22, from Dipton, near Stanley, County Durham, made it through to the last 60 of ITV's find-a-star show.

Although he did not make the judges' final selection to be in the band which is set to take the charts by storm, Stuart still hopes to realise his showbiz ambitions.

He and fellow contestant Joseph McLean, from Belfast, plan to form their own three-piece boy band but hope the right person for the third slot could be in the North-East.

Call centre worker Stuart, who entered the contest "for a laugh" after impressing colleagues with his singing at work events, has high hopes for the project.

He said of Joseph: "I have a good feeling. He seems a dead nice guy and we both want the same thing.

"We want to start a three-piece group singing mainstream pop and we are looking for another member - but we don't know where to look.

"We are looking for someone who is down to earth, because that's what we are."

Stuart's brother, Andrew, who runs the family butchers business in Stanley, said: "Stuart looks as if he should be in a boy band. When he worked here, everybody said the same thing.

"A lot of people remember his face from the programme and have contacted the website.

"He did a demo recording of a Ronan Keating song at a Tyneside studio and they were impressed. He has a great voice."

Anyone interested in the project should get in contact through the website, stuartpawley.com.