Lorna Simpson is first to leave The X Factor

Lorna Simpson became the first contestant to be voted off The X Factor live shows.

Lorna’s time on the show came to an abrupt end following a sing-off with fellow Over-25, Shelley Smith.

The result means that Sharon Osbourne has already lost one of the three contestants from her Overs category.

Sharon abstained from voting, declining to choose between her two acts, while Louis Walsh sent home Lorna.

Gary Barlow sent home Shelley Smith, giving Scherzinger the casting vote, who chose to send Lorna home.

Immediately after her elimination, Simpson told host Dermot O’Leary: “I think my favourite memory of the competition was getting to the Boot Camp stage, because I never thought I’d even get that far.

“It just goes to show that when you believe in your dreams they really do happen.”

Speaking to The Xtra Factor’s Caroline Flack, the 26-year-old business student added: “I’m a bit shocked. It feels as surreal as it did when I even got this far, but I’m going to use it as my stepping stone and I’m definitely going to grow from this.

“I just thank everyone at X Factor for giving me that chance.”