Edinburgh's Got Talent deadline is midnight on Monday

IT'S the biggest talent show in town and has attracted everyone from a primary school singing star to a one-time X Factor hopeful.

Saskia Eng is one for the future. Picture: DAN PHILLIPS

Entries have been flooding in for this year's Edinburgh's Got Talent competition and the deadline to take part is Monday midnight.

Among those hoping to make it through include former X Factor star Mark McGregor and former Must Be The Music hopeful Callum Beattie, who have entered alongside singers, jugglers, dancers, and a variety of talented performers.

• How to enter: www.edinburghnews.com/talent

One entry that has caught the eye already is from Saskia Eng, who wowed judges with her rendition of Susan Boyle's I Dreamed a Dream and Katy Perry's California Girls.

Unfortunately as a nine-year-old she is too young to progress through to the next round but is clearly a star in the making.

Dad Tony, 45, said Saskia, who won a Monkey Business competition with her singing talents during the summer, spends all her time singing.

He said: "We recently started sending her to singing lessons, once a week, in the Grassmarket and she just loves it. She's really taken to singing and she just sings all the time. She loves Cheryl Cole and JLS. Before the lessons she just sang along, but now she's learning about structure and how to sing.

"She'll definitely be entering when she's old enough and she's definitely one to watch."

Meanwhile, Must Be The Music's Callum Beattie - who was praised by judge and jazz star Jamie Cullum for his singing and songwriting - is hoping he will be among the first chosen 40.

The 20-year-old, from Musselburgh, said: "Must Be The Music has really given me encouragement to pursue my career further and it's given me a lot of confidence. I know I'm not just chasing something that's not going to happen. If I get through it would be fantastic. Hopefully I'll play at the Forth One awards and 1000 would be a great help towards my EP."

Mark McGregor, whose failure to make Edinburgh's Got Talent's final ten last year didn't stop him from going on to star on the X Factor, said he hopes the publicity from the contest will allow him to leave his job as an employment coach and work in the music business full time.

The 21-year-old, from Niddrie, said: "I hope this year I will win. I entered last year and I got to 11th place, I just missed out on the grand final.

He added that there might be some rivalry with Callum Beattie, who he has competed against in previous contests.

He said: "Me and Callum have been in competition with each other loads of times so there's a bit of rivalry. It would be quite funny if we both got through."

The winner will receive 1000 cash and get the chance to perform at the prestigious Forth Awards in November.