The 12-year-old Kettering singer is a target for autograph hunters, needs a bodyguard to leave her hotel, is mobbed by chanting fans and has already performed at some of the biggest music venues in the country.

The sell-out tour, which opened in London on Friday night, has proved so popular that the organisers have added a further 10 shows to the original 12-date tour.

Faryl's dad Tony Smith said the talented Southfield School For Girls pupil is loving every minute of her new-found fame.

He said: "It's been crazy. She's having the time of her life – she's made for it.

"The people who have arranged the tour have described it as being like Beatlemania – the children are mobbed everywhere they go and they get people running after the bus after each show.

"She gets people coming up to her and asking her for photos and autographs and they go out with security guards.

"One of the hotels they stayed at had to shut all the doors to stop the crowds getting in."

Mr Smith, who has returned home with his daughter for a few days, would not be drawn on speculation in the national media about a potential mutli-million pound contract with Simon Cowell's Syco Music company.

He said: "We have just said 'let her do the tour, give us some space and see how things go'. Then we will come to some sort of arrangement.

"It's hard and we're aware she's only 12. There's a lot of pressure so we're treating it with caution.

"We have gone from having nine-to-five jobs to being in a goldfish bowl, but we want her to fulfil her dreams and she wants to do this."

Mr Smith said one of the highlights of the tour so far was Faryl's duet with Andrew Johnston, when they sang Walking In The Air.

He said: "It reduced me to tears."

And he revealed: "Simon put it together and he feels that together maybe they could bring a record out – something at Christmas might be nice."