FOUR of Diamonds, the latest act to leave the X Factor, are jumping on stage in Newport city centre on Saturday as part of a terrific line-up of festive entertainment building up to the Christmas Lights switch on produced this year by Newport Now.

The girl group were shocked to leave the X Factor process on Sunday after the overwhelming support they received from the public after Judges Houses.

Since their elimination from the show, band member Lauren said: "We’re 100 per cent staying together as a band. If anything, the hard work starts now. We’ve had such a platform with this show, it is all down to us now to work hard and push the music. Anything can happen, we’ve just got to work hard."

The festivities are produced this year by Newport Now, the business community of the city centre. Newport Now Chair Alan Edwards said: “We’ve pulled together a really strong line-up to keep people entertained throughout Saturday, and also added some Christmas Lights ourselves. The message is to bring big crowds into the city centre, and get Christmas off to a cracking start.”

The girls join Union J, Defying Gravity, Tobias Robertson, Heart FM breakfast show presenters Jagger and Woody, Bryony Sier, Alex Stacey and Hana for a bumper programme on stage in Commercial Street throughout the day from noon.

Father Christmas will leave the Grotto in the Market (Santa’s Grotto noon to 4pm) with a host of costume characters to join the others on stage, when Newport’s Mayor, Councillor David Atwell, Mayoress Carole Atwell, and the Leader of the Council, Councillor Debbie Wilcox, plus Lewis Evans & Adam Hughes from Newport Gwent Dragons will switch on the Christmas Lights at 5pm..