THE pub landlord who hired singing sensation Grace Davies as a bar worker before she appeared on the X Factor ‘did not realise she was so talented’.

The former warehouse worker from Langho closed in on her quest to win the show by qualifying for the semi-finals this weekend.

The Ribble Valley singer-songwriter, who remains one of the favourites to win the show, wowed the judges with her own song Hesitate and hopes to impress them again tonight.

Mark Nicholls, who has owned the Railway Hotel, in Victoria Road, Blackburn for two years, hired Grace to work as a member of his bar staff before she made her name on the hit ITV series.

Grace worked for the the 56-year-old landlord from the end of 2016 to early 2017 and was given the opportunity to sing at the pub.

The former transport manager for BHL said he was surprised at how far Grace has come since she stopped working for him.

The 56-year-old landlord said: “I’m surprised because I thought she was more like Amy Winehouse with her voice.

“ I did not realise her voice had such range and versatility.

“I knew she sang covers and wrote her own songs but did not realise she was so talented at it.

“She was singing in other places before she sang in my pub so I can’t take the credit for that.

“I gave her the opportunity to sing once when I booked her in.

“She was a good worker but had her sights set on other things.

“This was obviously just a filling job.

“As well as going here she was going to London to talk about record deals and promote her songs.”

Mr Nicholls said it would be a close call but thinks Grace has a chance of winning the competition.

He said: “It will be close, very close. Grace might just get pipped to the post.

“It’s up to the public. They can be very difficult to please and it’s easy to lose their support.

“All I have to say is good luck to Grace. She just needs to believe in herself.

“She deserves it.”