FANS of Britain's Got Talent had the chance to see their favourite acts in the flesh on Friday when the live tour hit Wales.

The finalists took turns to entertain the crowd, most of whom were screaming hysterically from the outset.

But before any talent graced the stage, DJ Talent opened the show with an irritating rap. He might have been funny once, but not this time.

Dance troupe Diversity swiftly saved the day by performing a thrilling and perfectly-choreographed routine, even if it was odd to see the series winners appear so soon.

Next up was Swansea singer Shaheen Jafargholi who belted out his signature tune Who's Lovin' You. It's difficult to understand how a 12-year-old can produce such powerful vocals with such passion.

His act was undoubtedly the strongest of all the singers on show. Not that he had much competition.

Family duo 2 Grand were by far the least thrilling of the finalists, singing a mediocre version of A Whole New World. Hollie Steel and Shaun Smith meanwhile, sang in tune, but failed to muster any charisma. But this night was all about the dancers. The less popular, but no less talented, dance troupe Flawless were just that.

If anything their routine was more fun and had more comedy value than Diversity's efforts.

Julian Smith's talent wasn't suited to the arena, and his performance of Somewhere sorely lacked the lightness of touch it needs to be done well.

Aidan Davis, the 12-year-old breakdancer, had the crowd screaming for more and he showed us why he made the final. But the biggest screams were for last year's winner George Sampson.

His routine was very polished, clearly benefiting from his year of experience in the spotlight.

The second half saw the acts team up for various performances. The hilarious Stavros Flatley made a surprise appearance during Darth Jackson's set while Shaheen belted out I Want You Back complete with other child star finalists as his dancers. But while the night went down a storm with the crowd, it lacked the magic of the TV show. The sets were, with the exception of Flawless's act, practically non-existent. A big video screen did little to help it prove more spectacular than a school show.

And, of course, Susan Boyle failed to appear. Her future as a singer must surely be in doubt if she can't hack performing one or two songs a night. And it was a bit of slap in the face for all the viewers who voted for her to come second in the series.

Stephen Mulhern did an excellent job of holding the whole thing together, bantering with the crowd and cracking family-friendly jokes.

And family entertainment is exactly what this is. Harking back to the days of the variety show, Britain's Got Talent has something for everyone.

The dance acts were worth the ticket price alone, with Diversity's finale proving a definite highlight.

If you're looking for a summer treat for the kids, you'd be mad not to book tickets for Saturday, July 4, when it returns to Cardiff. Just don't expect Susan Boyle to turn up.

Edward Gleave