A singer from Chatham has made it through to the next stage of The Voice after being given a lifeline by veteran crooner Tom Jones.

Adam Barron, 27, went head to head with fellow contestant Ash Morgan in the first battle round of the hit BBC talent show on Saturday.

The pair were pitted against each other and had to perform a duet of James Morrisons’ I Won’t Let You Go. But the father-of-two failed to win.

Speaking after the performance, Adam’s coach Jessie J said: “You are amazing singers but I’m basing my decision on who I feel in the next round I can coach and that’s Ash.”

But Adam was given a second chance at stardom after judges Sir Tom Jones and Danny O’Donoghue decided they wanted him on their teams.

In a new twist on the show this year, acts which fail to be picked by their own coach in the battle round can be ‘stolen’ by another judge to be part of their team.

After picking Sir Tom as his new mentor, Adam said: “I’m working with the living legend that is Sir Tom. That is insane. It doesn’t happen to normal people.”

Joseph Apostol, from Gillingham, is still to appear on the battle round.