DAVE Clough left Huddersfield behind for a new life Down Under.

And he’s now starring on Australia’s answer to the X Factor.

The 25-year-old former Salendine Nook High School pupil, who lived at Mount, is through to the final stages of StarQuest 2011.

And he’s only been living in Sydney for three months after moving there with girlfriend Jodie Robb.

Dave, who was also a student at Huddersfield Technical College, said: “I have been living here for about three months working as an art director and designer for the agency G2 in North Sydney.

“I entered a singing competition called StarQuest 2011 and have made it through to the finals on Saturday.

“I’m the only person representing England, never mind Huddersfield.”

He’s counting on family and friends back home to support him as much as his Australian fans – because the show has an online vote.

Dave has always loved singing. He was in Huddersfield Children’s Choir, following in the footsteps of grandfathers Reg Williams and Harold Clough, both members of Huddersfield Choral Society.

Dave became well known on the local music circuit. He was lead vocalist with Halifax band The Hoolocs and went on to form Tuplin, who once supported boyband JLS.

Before moving to Australia he went on tour with Huddersfield showjumpers Oliver Townend on the Champions tour with Geoff Billington, providing the musical entertainment at each venue.

Dave added: “I actually entered the show not really knowing I had.

“When we moved to Australia, we realised how expensive this country actually is.

“I was looking for design work and singing work and I applied for a lot.

“It was about a month later I realised I had applied for this singing competition.

“By then I had already started working for G2 and thought that the competition would be a bit a fun.

“I sang Steppenwolf’s Born To Be Wild in the heat. It was a song I had sang with previous band.”

But he’s looking ahead now to Saturday’s final.

He will sing Robbie Williams’ Let Me Entertain You as his show opening and Australian band Powderfinger’s Baby I’ve Got You On My Mind in the show.

Dave added: “I love graphic design and advertising, I always have and I’ve always seen singing as being a hobby that I can get paid for, so it’s win win either way.

“I guess I’ll see how it goes. My outlook on life is ‘why not?’.”

The contest is a People’s Choice award and Australian and British fans can vote online to increase Dave’s chance of winning a recording contract.

To support Dave visit http://star-connect.com/polls/starquest-2011-peoples-choice/