THE Evening Press was today backing York singer Hayley Bamford in her quest to be top of the Pop Idols.

Hayley, 20, will be performing tonight in the final heat of the TV show Pop Idol in a bid to realise her dreams of super-stardom.

The former York College student is hoping to capture the viewers' hearts and votes with her performance of the Whitney Houston hit Saving All My Love.

The ultimate winner of the grand final will secure a lucrative recording contract and a get a firm foothold on the ladder to success.

Hayley has already got through a number of gruelling auditions - and braved the brutal Pop Idol judges - to make the final 50.

Tonight, Hayley goes head-to-head with Darius Danesh, who shot to fame in the original Popstars series when he performed his cringe-making interpretation of a Britney Spears hit, and who is now back in Pop Idol.

Hayley today travelled down to the London studios with her mum, Debbie. The rest of the family will be glued to the TV at home in White Cross Road.

Last night, Hayley was given the seal of approval from a cheering crowd of hundreds when she performed at the Christmas lights switch-on at the Monks Cross Shopping Park, in York.

"Hopefully, you'll all be voting for me tomorrow," she told the crowd after giving robust renditions of Anastacia's I'm Outta Love and Saving All My Love - the tune she's hoping will take her to the top tonight.

The response from the crowd - many of whom chanted her name - seemed a good omen for tonight's singing showdown.

Hayley told the Evening Press: "I'm really looking forward to it. I'm a bit nervous but I'm just hoping that people will be voting for me."

Pop Idol fanatics across York were gearing up to vote for Hayley tonight.

John Yoward, 24, of St Paul's Terrace, Holgate, said: "I think Hayley has a great chance, I will definitely be voting for her.

"It will be great for York if she turns out to be the next Madonna."

Anna Graham, 24, who lives off Boroughbridge Road, said: "I hope the judges are nice to her."

- Hayley's heat will be shown on Saturday on ITV at 6.10pm. She will be in the number six slot, and voting telephone numbers will be given at the end of the show.

Updated: 09:32 Saturday, December 01, 2001