Singing Scots grandmother Janey Cutler in talent final

Janey Cutler is second favourite to win the TV talent show

A Scottish grandmother who normally sings for drinkers in pubs in Lanarkshire is hoping to extend her audience to include royalty.

Janey Cutler, 81, has secured a spot in Saturday night's Britain's Got Talent final.

She won the public vote in Thursday's semi-final with a belting rendition of Shirley's Bassey's This is My Life.

The octogenarian will now battle it out for the chance to perform for the Queen at the Royal Variety Show.

The grandmother, from Wishaw, began singing in the Salvation Army at the age of six and now entertains punters in pubs and clubs in her hometown, and in Hamilton and Motherwell.

She first wowed the talent show's viewers when her Glasgow audition, where she sang Edith Piaf's Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien, aired last month.

Since then she's been dubbed by some as the "new" Susan Boyle, and is currently second favourite to win the overall competition, behind dance act Spellbound.

Staff and drinkers at one of the bars where Ms Cutler has a regular singing slot said they were gearing up for a busy and exciting night on Saturday.

Wendy Leggate, who works at the Victoria Bar in Hamilton, said: "Some of the regulars had gone down to London for the semi-final, including the guy who normally plays keyboard when Janey sings.

"But they have come back up and will be in the pub tomorrow night. We will all be watching on the big screen with the sound turned up very loud."

She added: "Janey is a cracking wee lady, very chatty.

"She sings here every Monday afternoon and was in at the start of the week before heading off to London.

"I am not sure if she will be in this Monday though. Depends what happens on Saturday night I suppose."

Spirit and character

Ms Cutler's semi-final performance saw her take to the stage in a scarlet dress, accompanied by two tuxedo-wearing hunks.

Judge Piers Morgan said: "You are magnificent. We have waited the whole competition for one of these moments that get the whole country talking the next day."

Amanda Holden added: "You have the lungs of a 20-year-old."

Simon Cowell said the grandmother epitomised what Britain's Got Talent was all about: "It is not just about talent, it is about spirit and about character."