X Factor pair exposed as knife thug and stripper

An X Factor hopeful was today exposed as a knife-wielding wannabe gangster who terrorised his home town.

Curtis Moore, 16, who wowed the judges with his live audition on Saturday's show, is seen on his Bebo page brandishing a blade as he stares menacingly into the camera.

Hopefuls: Amie Buck is a topless dancer and Curtis Moore has been convicted of burglary

Another photo on the social networking site shows him posing with his hands pointing like guns.

According to a former neighbour, the singing teenager, who wears an electronic tag, used to cause trouble around his home town of Redditch, Worcestershire.

At Moore's audition, he admitted to the judges that he spent time in a young offenders institution after being convicted of burglary and theft following the death of his brother.

But his old neighbour told The Sun that Moore used to carry a knife and hang around in a gang of about 10 other youths. S

He said: "Curtis used to cause so much trouble and carried a knife. He shoplifted mainly with lads older than him and even attempted stealing a bike the young owner was sat on in the middle of a busy bus station. I once disarmed him of a Stanley knife when he ran after another young man."

Moore made it through to the next round of the ITV talent show, although he was told off by judge Simon Cowell for "being such a smart a**e" and ordered to drop his attitude.

It was also revealed today that another singing contestant works as a lap dancer. Amie Buck, 22, told X Factor bosses that she worked as a personal trainer in Newcastle.

But at weekends she works as a topless dancer and can earn up to £500 a week. A friend said she is so popular that she earned enough to pay for a boob job.