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An X Factor hopeful now stranded in the Caribbean after Hurricane Irma devastated her hometown on Anguilla wowed judges on tonight’s show.

Deanna Mussington, 22, flew to the UK to audition for the pre-recorded round of the competition and blew the foursome away with her performance of Whitney Houston’s I Have Nothing.

Now, the singer and neighbours on the storm-hit British colony, who rallied round to pay for her travel to the competition, have had their lives destroyed by the category 3 storm.

Deanna survived the deadly hurricane which killed 24 people as it rumbled across the Caribbean.

She told the Mirror of 10 hours of terror she and her family faced as Irma hit.

The musician said: “I stayed in with my family and prayed and hoped for the best for 10 hours, we came out of this alive, God Bless.

“Our property stood up strong however we got water damage and other damage from neighbouring debris.

“My friends and family are safe, but we all are distraught and displaced by the disaster. But as Anguillians we are strong people and we are coming together as one to get through this.”

Following her audition, Louis Walsh told Deanna she was a “class act” before she walked away with four yeses.

In a show of defiance, the successful contestant told the Mirror she would “swim to London” rather than have a storm prevent her from taking part in the show.

Meanwhile, Nicole Scherzinger told a barman singing an impassioned original song about his heartbreak that he was “not a joke but a force to be reckoned with.”

Aidan Martin, 27, from South Shields, performed his composition Punchline for the judging panel, telling them it was about a previous relationship.

His performance moved Sharon Osboure to tears, as she told Martin: “It was beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. It was just perfect.”

Simon Cowell told him it was a “very special audition,” while Scherzinger said: “That song was so revealing and vulnerable and that takes the most strength and the most courage. You’re not a joke, you’re a force to be reckoned with.”

He received four yeses from the panel.

Scunthorpe cleaner Andy Holloway, 29, was not so lucky with his original material when his song Sing It With Me failed to impress the judges.

They criticised his performance, with Louis Walsh telling him: “You should concentrate on being a songwriter.”

Band JBK also made a long trip to try out for the show, flying 24 hours from the Philippines in the hopes of impressing with their cover of Sam Smith’s Lay Me Down, while Elysa V travelled from Sydney, Australia, to perform Fleur East’s Sax.

The travellers all left with tickets to bootcamp.

Daniel Quick, an 18-year-old Iceland checkout assistant from Bristol, who brought his mother along to his audition so he could perform Elton John’s Your Song, surprised the panel with his rendition.

The judges all applauded his emotional performance, with Cowell saying: “I always like being surprised by an audition.”

Walsh added: “You gave it everything, it was like you were in your own little world,” as he moved on to bootcamp with four yeses.”

Family group The Cutkelvins, from Lanark in Scotland, performed Runnin’ (Lose It All) by Beyonce featuring Naughty Boy to praise from the panel, while Osbourne advised singer Shereen she should take centre stage.

Cowell compared the audition to when he first saw the Black Eyed Peas, saying: “It was odd but it worked, I hope you end up working with me on this show,” as the group sailed on to bootcamp.

Former hotel hostess Bukky Shittu tried her hand at singing I’m Every Woman by Whitney Houston but was not so successful.

While Cowell enjoyed her performance, the other three judges gave her a firm thumbs down.”

The X Factor continues on ITV next Saturday at 8pm.

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