OLLY Murs made hearts skip a beat on a visit to Little Oakley.

The former X Factor host was in the area for a football match involving his Coggeshall Town team.

As news of his presence spread on social media, up to 300 fans descended on the village’s Memorial Ground on Wednesday night.

Oakley won the Essex and Suffolk Border League premier division contest 2-0.

“It really was an amazing night,” said Oakley’s joint manager, Sean Tynan.

“We knew there was a chance Olly might come along, because of his links with Coggeshall.

“But it was great to see him and he was absolutely superb with everyone. We normally get 50 or 60 people to our games, but the news that Olly was there spread like wildfire on social media and by the end of the night there must have been 250 to 300.

“The whole area was packed and it really added to the buzz of the night.” Murs did not play in the game, but took part in the warm-up as he is trying to build up his fitness.

Mr Tynan said the 31-year-old, whose hits include Please Don’t Let Me Go, Heart Skips a Beat and Dance With Me Tonight, was a “top lad”.

“Olly was fantastic,” he said.

“He signed as many autographs as possible and posed for as many pictures as possible, including a few with our players.

“There wasn’t a hint of him being big-time or hiding away trying to avoid the spotlight.

“He was a top lad and I couldn’t speak more highly of him.”

Murs played semi-professional football for home-town club Witham Town between 2006 and 2008. He excelled for the club’s reserve team during the 2006/07 season, scoring 12 goals in 13 appearances, and helped them win the Ridgeons Reserve Teams Cup.