​TWO inspirational brothers and a mesmerising dance act stormed their way into tonight’s grand final following one of the toughest heats of this year’s competition.

Young singers Ryan and Greg Bradshaw were the first to make it through after their phenomenal rendition of the Black Eyed Peas’s Where Is The Love brought the audience to its feet.

Dance quartet Connect 4 may have only danced together for a month, but their west coast swing routine was enough to secure them the vital second slot.

Both acts now live in hope of getting their hands on the £1,000 cash prize and the all-important paid professional contract in this year’s panto. But rest assured, getting there wasn’t easy.

The fourth and final heat included everything you could want from a talent show and according to theatre producer Kevin Wood, The Sentinel’s assistant editor Martin

Tideswell and guest judge Eric Potts, making the decision was as tough as ever.

“Five acts deserved to go through tonight and had they been on another evening they probably would have made it,” said Kevin.

Presenter Jonathan Wilkes said: “This was the toughest night I’ve ever witnessed in all Top Talent competitions. So many of you deserve to go through.”

Ice, a group of street and hip-hop dancers from Trentham aged from eight to 14, got the show off to a great start with a vibrant routine that was noted as being one of the best all week.

Singer Michael Tremble was the first of four soloists to take to the stage and his performance of Home was so good theatre producer Kevin Wood remarked: “If one person emerges from this competition, it might just be you.”

Girls In Motion were one of two duos in last night’s heat. And after winning Burton’s Got Talent 2009, they were keen to prove they had something to offer. The sisters from Burton-upon-Trent performed a confident and polished I Know Him So Well, but to mixed remarks from the judges.

Next up was magician Ben Cardall, a performer said to be Stoke-on-Trent’s very own Derren Brown.

His mind control act was very impressive, but it was Chesterton singer and former finalist Billie-Dee Williams who opened the competition right up with a powerful performance of Not Ready To Make Nice by the Dixie Chicks before the interval.

The second half was equally impressive as five more acts showcased their abilities.

Easy listening singer David Bithell proved popular with his cool version of Save The Last Dance For Me, and 16-year-old Leek vocalist Olivia Hine almost stole the show with a dramatic rendition of Fever.

Soulful singer Alice-Rose Distant closed the heat with a brave performance of Christina Aguilera’s ballad Hurt, but despite her flawless vocals, it was The Bradshaws, aged 14 and 10,  and Connect 4 who came out on top.

And the excitement didn’t stop there. In the first of two public votes it was announced that dance group Déjà Vu had secured the ninth place in tonight’s final after thousands of people voted in The Sentinel’s online poll.

The act receiving the highest number of audience votes across all four nights will secure the last place in the final. But the result of this vote will be announced this morning ahead of tonight’s show.

Don’t miss Monday’s Sentinel for all the coverage of tonight’s grand final