Township kids back Quigg

Support for X Factor contestant Eoghan Quigg has spread across the world, with children in a South African township now rooting for the singer.

Youngsters in Cape Town’s Khayelitsha are the newest fans of the teenage sensation, who is down to the last four in the reality TV show.

Brian McGuigan, from Eoghan’s hometown of Dungiven in Co Derry, is in the township rounding up followers ahead of his friend’s live performance on Saturday night.

Eoghan, who will sing against Alexandra Burke, Diana Vickers and boyband JLS this weekend, hopes the public vote will get him through to the next round.

Armed with posters backing his pal, Brian – one of 2,000 volunteers with an Irish charity building 250 houses for 3,000 people in the area – is on a mission to enlist the help of local kids.

Brian is part of the Niall Mellon Township Trust, which has constructed more than 10,000 new homes in 23 townships since it was founded in 2002.

Khayelitsha is located around 18 miles from Cape Town and has over 1 million inhabitants.

Although it is the largest township in Cape Town, and the third largest in South Africa, it is one of the most poverty stricken areas in the country with the majority of residents having no water, electricity or sanitation.