Dartford singer Stephen Cornwell has left The Voice after he was edged out in a vocal battle against his friend Jake Shakeshaft.

The 23-year-old of Waltham Road was picked by Will.i.am last month but failed to reach the knockout stages in tonight's show.

He could have been stolen by rival judge Rita Ora to keep his hopes alive but she declined the chance to recruit him.

Stephen was pitted against Jake to sing Coldplay's Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall but lost out despite rapturous applause from the audience.

His mentor Will.i.am was also full of praise saying Stephen gave Spanish heartthrob Enrique Iglesias a "run for his money".

Before the show aired, Stephen tweeted his followers to thank them for their support, regardless of the outcome.

He began singing in karaoke competitions when he was six - but admitted he never saw music as his passion until he was a teenager.

At Loughborough University he had a spell as a professional footballer for Queen’s Park Rangers youth academy but was forced to give up after he snapped his achilles tendon.

His Youtube channel, which contains songs filmed in Dartford, already attracts more than two million views.