A pianist who overcame a hand injury has wowed judges on Britian’s Got Talent and made it through to the semi-finals.

Vince Hurley, who grew up in Harrow Weald, is part of swing band Jive Aces.

He was spotlighted at the televised auditions by judge Alesha Dixon, former Mis Teeq singer, who said the group are “so joyful to watch, especially you on the piano.”

This is despite a hand injury that meant at one point he couldn’t even “open a door or pick up a cup of tea”.

The 39-year-old said: “The earliest memories of my life are sitting down with my mum doing a lesson from a children’s piano book.

“Like anyone else, I’ve had to work my way up. I did all kinds of jobs to survive, from warehouse work to supervising.”

But he knew he had a future in music and was determined to persevere with his goal.

He added: “It was a very long, winding road involving what seemed like a lifetime of daily practice, until my arms were about to fall off.” Mr Hurley, who went to Greenhill College, in Station Road, said he tried everything for his hand injury which kept getting worse.

He claims he eventually found relief using Scientology Assist techniques, which he said “restored his confidence and resolve to make a career in music”.

He added: “Now ten million people tune in to watch me on Britian’s Got Talent.”