TWO West Devon contestants who failed to win through auditions for TV's 'X Factor' last Sunday say it has not knocked their conmfidence. Sarah-Elizabeth Williams and Ruth Douglas, both 16, went to the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff for the audition. They joined thousands of singers who wanted the opportunity of singing in front of four of England's most recognised judges: Louis Walsh, Sharon Osbourne, Dannii Minogue and Simon Cowell. The girls had first to perform in front of two unknown judges to hear whether they had got through. Both Sarah-Elizabeth, from Gulworthy, and Ruth, from Whitchurch, were told the answer was 'no'. But the former Tavistock College students remain upbeat and say it has 'definitely not' knocked their confidence but enjoyed the experience. Ruth said: 'I am glad I went to the audition as if I didn't I would have really regretted it. 'We got there at 5am and they took shots of us all dancing for the programme and they got us to release helium balloons and made us shout "we have got the X Factor" in Welsh. I may do it next year — I don't know yet.' While both the girls enjoyed their day, Jo Williams, Sarah-Elizabeth's mother, said she was surprised by the way they were treated at the audition. She said: 'We were left waiting for eleven and a half hours to get seen by the judges, with three and a half hours in the blazing heat. Unfortunately, she didn't get through but she is not upset and just thinks of the day as an experience and has learnt from it. 'We are not disappointed — it is experience and you have to understand what rejection is like and how to deal with it and keep moving forward.' Watch this space though — on Saturday, May 31 Sarah-Elizabeth will be in the regional final of the FX Factor at the Riviera International Centre in Torquay. The prize is a Sky TV interview and the recording of a CD. The FX Factor was started for talented people across the South West to gain experience on stage, radio and in the studio.
