Little Mix make X Factor history

GIRL group Little Mix made X Factor history last night as they became the first group to win the title.

Mentored by Tulisa Contostavlos, the band scooped the crown in front a 10,000-strong audience at Wembley Arena in London.

The band, made up of Jade Thirlwall, Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson and Leigh-Anne Pinnock, all between the ages of 18 and 20, beat Liverpool’s Marcus Collins to the title.

The girls and their mentor looked stunned when host Dermot O’Leary announced the result, with Leigh-Anne only able to say, “oh my God, wow”.

Jade added: “We are just so, so grateful and thankful to everyone who voted and to everyone backstage.”

Jesy said: “Oh my God, this is never going to sink in. We cannot thank the public enough.”

Runner-up Marcus said the band “really deserve” the title, adding that they were “amazing”.

The girls had never met before being put together as a band in the auditions.

They walk away with a recording contract and will now release their winner’s single, a rendition of Damien Rice’s Cannonball, in a bid to top the charts with a Christmas number one.

It could see Rice earn up to €1 million, according to industry insiders.

The two finalists reunited with other acts from the series, including Janet Devlin, Misha B and Craig Colton to kick off last night’s show.

For their first solo performance the two acts sang their favourite song of the series. Collins, a 23-year-old hairdresser, kicked off with Jackie Wilson’s Higher and Higher, accompanied by a gospel choir.

His mentor Gary Barlow said: “Once again, well done and congratulations on another amazing performance. You can sing, you can move and actually in the history of the X Factor I can’t remember a finalist or a winner that takes hold of a stage like you do and shines even amongst 40 people.”

Little Mix chose Don’t Let Go by En Vogue as their favourite song, which reduced judge Kelly Rowland to tears.

Little Mix are second favourites to take the Christmas number one slot in the charts following their X Factor win, Ladbrokes said.

Little Mix have been favourites to win the ITV show since November.