A TALENTED pair of dancers are set for the big time after winning their way on to a top talent contest final.

Nicola O’Brien, 15, and Christopher Sarchet, 14, have made it through to the last 20 to take part in the national final of Idol 2008, which has a top prize of £25,000.

The duo, who use the name Xtreme, have battled through two qualifying rounds and hundreds of other competitors to make it this far.

Nicola, of Shap Close, Baxenden, and Christopher, of Colne Road, Burnley, will take to the stage in Portsmouth tomorrow in a show whose judges include Dane Bowers, Cheryl Baker, Jane McDonald and Liz McClarnon.

Nicola’s mum Donna said: “It’s a great achievement to get as far as they have but they are confident they can win it.”

Xtreme describe their perfomances as “fusing freestyle, disco and hip-hop beats with acrobatics”.

Nicola, a Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School pupil, has been dancing since she was four and has been performing alongside Christopher, of St John Fisher and St Thomas More High School, Colne, for the past four years.

Donna added: “They are so talented and we can’t wait to see how they get on at the weekend.”

The competition will feature singers and dancers.

The winning singer will gain a recording contract and the dance winners go on a UK tour and appear in the video for the winning singer’s first single.

Xtreme won through from an initial audition in Salford earlier this year before being picked as the North West dance representatives for the contest at a regional final in September.

Judge Dane Bowers, a former member of boyband Another Level, said: “This competition gives everyone a great opportunity to show what they can do.”

The competition is to be recorded by ITV and expected to be shown in the new year.