X FACTOR stars District3 have sailed through to the next round of the top TV talent show.

The band, which includes Tendring's Greg West, opened Saturday's live show and won praise across the board from the judges for their rendition of Tina Turner's Simply the Best.

While other performers struggled with first night nerves, District3 - which also includes Mickey Parsons and Dan Ferrari-Lane - were cool, calm and successful.

Earlier in the show, film footage saw the teen heart-throbs choosing a new name for the group.

It had previously been called GMD3 but the name had been described by former judge Sharon Osbourne as sounding like a virus.

The boys invited the public to come forward with their ideas. More than 1,600 suggestions were made including The Undead Ferret, Boys 3 Men and Three Shades of Grey, But the band presented themselves on stage at District3 and struck the right note with all four judges.

Greg, 18, went to school in Dovercourt and Manningtree before joining Tiffany Stage School in Clacton and then the Sylvia Young Theatre School in London where he met his bandmates.