The dream is over for a Canterbury Cathedral chorister who found fame with his angelic voice on ITV's The Voice Kids.

James Hodgkinson, 12, performed with singing star and judge Paloma Faith after she chose him to join her team following his rendition of the Liverpool supporters' anthem, You'll Never Walk Alone.

But on Saturday night the schoolboy, who attends St Edmund's School in Canterbury, failed to make the cut in a three-way sing-off with rivals in a combined performance of Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge Over Trouble Water.

Despite a version that was widely praised by the judges, Paloma could only take one through to the semi-finals and opted for the remarkably mature and soulful voice of Hayley, leaving James visibly disappointed and getting a consolation hug from his parents.

In his first audition, James said he wanted to prove that he could deliver something other than classical choral church music.

Not only did he impress the judges with a pitch-perfect performance, he also charmed them with his quirky character in which he revealed his passion and knowledge as a collector of Wade Whimsies China and porcelain figures, of which he has around 450.

James, who was supported at his auditions by his proud parents Chris and Angela, told the judges how he had been singing "ever since I was in my cot" and boarded in Canterbury where he was a member of the 24-strong Cathedral boys' choir.

He said it required getting up at 6.20am every day for singing practice, which he does for 22 hours a week.

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