EXMOUTH singing sensation Tom Andrews has been signed by the manager responsible for a major chart act.

Tom, 15, of St John's Road, who came runner-up in last weekend's Exeter Has Talent, has been signed by the man who made Pixie Lott famous.

Despite narrowly missing out on winning the annual online talent competition run by 1Click2Fame.com by coming third, Tom was shocked to find himself courted by three different managers.

He was even more surprised when he discovered that one of them, Philip Tennant, was the man behind 18-year-old Pixie, who reached number one in the charts with her hit Mama Do.

And he has since had more success after winning 1Click2Fame.com's June competition with his track If You Ask Me To.

This means he has won a video shoot with Tristar TV and has qualified for the website's boot camp in London, where he'll join the other quarter finalists in competing for £25,000 sponsorship, as well as a place in the annual final next April.

Before this, Tom went to Rockford Studio in Monmouth where he signed his contract with Philip Tennant on the grand piano used by Freddie Mercury from Queen.

"It was a great moment," said Tom. "I met a couple of other managers, but Phil was the one that I clicked with.

"The second time we met I went to his house with my parents and it was really relaxed.

"He's a very normal guy and just works with a small group of people, not a big entourage, and of course he has a great track record in helping young artists make it big."

Mr Tennant, of Doublemono management, who also looks after Mike Scott and The Waterboys and singer-songwriter Emily Maguire, said: "I actually believe that Tom will be a multi-million-selling artist and will shortly be following in the footsteps of Pixie Lott, and like her, sign a lucrative worldwide record deal."

Mr Tennant discovered Pixie Lott four years ago after she answered his advert in The Stage asking for potential singing stars to come and audition for him.

A year later, she was signed to the world-famous Island Def Jam Music Group and now she's a household name.

Tom added: "I have been busy since entering 1Click2Fame as things have really taken off.

"I was approached by different managers and have been working with a songwriter and recording my own material, which has been great and has given me much more confidence.

"It is a really exciting time for me and I intend to work as hard as I can to make a career for myself in music.

"I don't think I have ever been any good at anything else and it is all I have ever really wanted to do."