A SELL out crowd applauded some exceptional performances at the SECC Armadillo, Glasgow, last weekend, when members of SAYFC's West Region took to the stage for their Talent Spot final.

Following an introduction from West Region chair, Sheena Foster, nine teams - including the 'wild card' team proposed by four secret district Talent Spot judges - were on a mission to entertain with acts ranging between garden gnomes and woodland creatures, to a bobsleigh team in Antartica and an Olympic carnival in Rio de Janeiro.

"We all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves - it was a great night of performances and all the individual singers were incredible," commented one of the judges, Michael Smith, who provided a small critique for the performers on behalf of himself and fellow judges, Mrs Jenny Campbell and Hamish Dykes.

"We were looking for plenty confidence and energy from performers with a good flow from start to finish to keep us interested, and there was certainly all of that!"

Song and dance routines delivered with military precision helped Mauchline YFC scoop the top honours for the first time since 2007.

Their 'I'm a POW...get me out of here!' routine followed prisoners of war as they tried to escape the clutches of their female German guards, and some topical song choices saw them notch up 87 2/3 points on the board.

It was a tough call for second place and only a single point separated the next two teams, but it was Loch Lomond YFC that clinched the blue ticket with 83 2/3 points. Kicking off with a great solo by Ben Brown, who picked up the award for the reserve best act, the club's 'Is there really global warming?' visited some penguins who had the Jamaican bob sleigh team training alongside them.

A colourful carnival from Carluke YFC secured third place for the team with 82 2/3 points, when 'Ravin' in Rio' looked forward to the summer Olympics.

Although not in the tickets, there was cause for celebration for Crossroads YFC when Jennifer Harbison was awarded best act for her solo as Delia the dragon in 'Book of enchantment.'

The audience-voted front of curtain contest returned and provided the crowd with some real treats in between Talent Spot acts.

Winning this year were James Simpson and Euan Sanderson, from Biggar YFC, who performed 'Magic mix' - a five-minute romp of ridiculous and occasionally rude mime tricks that had the audience in stitches.

The evening was drawn to a close by a few songs from the New Cumnock YFC 75th Anniversary Choir.