Austin Drage voted off X Factor

Austin Drage was a member of band Five Boys and has supported Westlife

Former boy band member Austin Drage has become the latest hopeful to be voted off ITV's the X Factor.

After the finalists competed in a disco music special, 21-year-old Austin and mum-of-five Rachel Hylton were left to battle it out to stay in the running.

Simon Cowell, who mentored Austin, said: "For me, he was one of the best singers tonight, so he can go out with his head held high."

Louis Walsh chose to save 26-year-old Rachel, saying she was a "raw talent".

Help for Heroes

Austin, who used to be in boy band Five Boys and has supported Lemar, Westlife and Girls Aloud, said he sang for his mum.

But his performance of Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow by The Shirelles was not enough to save him.

Asked how he felt at being voted off, he said: "I'm really well because I know everyone ain't seen the best of me yet."

Austin performs a solo on the X Factor Help for Heroes song, which looks set to become the biggest selling single of 2008.

Chancellor Alastair Darling has said he will refund tax on sales of the track, which is raising money to help wounded servicemen and women.

Cowell now has only one singer - Eoghan Quigg - left in the contest.

Rachel is in Dannii Minogue's over-25s category and has spent time in prison for drugs offences.

Earlier in the evening, she had stumbled over her words, but Minogue told her: "I thought you sang from the heart."

There are now eight finalists remaining in the competition.

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