ONE of the stars of the Sing Bolton Sing final at the weekend kept a secret from the judges — she had been rushed to hospital the day before with a chest infection.

Although she did not win the competition Amy Derbyshire delighted the audience at the Market Place with her renditions of Alive by Sia and the Christine Aguilera song Hurt.

Talented Amy, aged 19, had already made it through to the final of the competition but on Friday was told that she would not be able to compete for the £10,000 first prize as doctors a suspected she had developed a blood clot on her lung.

Trainee teacher Amy, who is studying at Manchester Metropolitan University, had been feeling unwell for several weeks and visited the Bury Walk-In Centre on Friday because she had been experiencing chest and shoulder pains.

She was then rushed by ambulance to Fairfield General Hospital and told there was no way she would be able to sing the next day.

Amy was devastated, but after four hours of tests at hospital doctors diagnosed a possible chest infection, prescribed her medication and she was determined to carry on in the competition.

The teenager, from The Rock. Bury, was adamant she did not want the judges or other competitors to know about her hospital visit and, although she did not win,was pleased with her performance under the circumstances.

The £10,000 top prize went to 22-year-old Zack Thornley from Little Hulton.

Miss Derbyshire, who is originally from Ainsworth said: “I’m not disappointed I didn’t win because everyone was amazing. But at a different time I probably would have done a lot better.

“My family are proud of me, not just because of what happened on the Friday but because they know how hard I have been practising.

“It was nice to meet all the acts on the day and Zack was great. All the acts were fabulous.

“My chest is getting better everyday and the pain is easing a bit now and I’ve been able to go back teaching.

“I was terrified when they told me I had to go to hospital because I thought ‘what does it all mean?’

“When they said at first I couldn’t sing I thought I would just go anyway regardless."

And Amy plans to return to compete in any future competition.

“I will be back definitely because I know I can do better," she said.

You can see a video of Amy performing at www.theboltonnews.co.uk