Comedian wins Britain's Got Talent

Known as the Lost Voice Guy, Lee Ridley, who went to university in Preston, performs his act using a speech synthesiser on his iPad - and has bagged the £250,000 prize and a spot on the Royal Variety show.

Singer Donchez Dacres was third and comedian Robert White second.

After he won, Lee said: "I'm very excited to perform in front of the Queen. I've loved her since she sang Bohemian Rhapsody."

The panel had been full of praise for the performer, who is from Newcastle, with Alesha Dixon saying he would "inspire so many people" and David Walliams saying he had turned a negative (losing his voice) into something positive.

Judge Simon Cowell said after the results that he was thrilled to see him win. "You so deserved this," he said.

Lee, who says he is a “struggling standup comedian who also struggles to stand up” has cerebral palsy (CP) which has left him unable to talk.

He was diagnosed with the condition after falling into a coma when he was just six months old.

Lee has told the Lancashire Post previously that the condition has been frustrating at times but something that he has had to work round. He trained in journalism at The University of Central Lancashire but it was when a friend suggested comedy that he started out on the circuit.

“Having CP meant that it made reporting a bit harder because I couldn’t talk, and most of journalism is about communicating with other people,” said Lee.

“I wouldn’t say CP impacted it too much though. We always managed to find ways around it. I’ve only been doing comedy for six years but I’ve already done so much. It’s still a bit breathtaking really.”

Earlier tonight the Britain's Got Talent judges were dazzled as finalists The Giang Brothers performed a daring leap that they had never completed without a safety harness before the final - but they did not make the top three.

Giang Quoc Co and Giang Quoc Nghiep, who are from Vietnam, made it through to Sunday night's final with their acrobatic show, which sees one carry the other on his head as he walks up stairs.

During the final the brothers stepped it up a notch.

As the audience gasped, the acrobat jumped from a step on to a platform with his brother on his head.

Judge David Walliams said it was "beyond beyond", while Simon Cowell told the pair: "My God, you upped your game."

Amanda Holden said the brothers were "utterly extraordinary".

Eleven acts are competing in the final of the ITV programme.

Ten made it through during this week's live semi-finals and one act, the B-Positive Choir, were picked as the judges' wildcard.

The show opened with a hilarious song and dance routine that saw presenter Declan Donnelly showing off his own acrobatic trick - a handstand.