The Susan Boyle factor has helped Britain's Got Talent grab headlines

The Susan Boyle factor has helped to ensure this year's Britain's Got Talent keeps grabbing the headlines.

The 48-year-old spinster from Blackburn, West Lothian, who was a complete unknown just weeks ago, can now be recognised around the world.

After spending years caring for her widowed mother Bridget, the devout Catholic said she found the courage to appear on the show as a tribute to her mother who died two years ago.

The youngest of nine children shared her semi with her pet cat and honed her talent on the pub karaoke circuit.

The audience sniggered and judges raised eyebrows as she told them she dreamed of becoming a singer as successful as Elaine Paige - but her performance stunned everyone.

However, the church volunteer, who has attracted millions of hits on video sharing websites, has quickly discovered that fame comes at a price.

Until this week, all the odds appeared firmly stacked in favour of Boyle, whose supporters include Demi Moore and Elaine Paige herself.

Dubbed the Hairy Angel, she even crowned her new-found fame with an appearance on Oprah Winfrey's show in the United States, along with subtitles.

But recent days have seen the onset of a Boyle backlash, and there have been fears for her ability to cope under strain after talk of her being in floods of tears and packing her bags, ready to go.

It all got too much for the finalist when she lost her temper in the lobby of the Wembley Plaza Hotel in north London after being "wound up" by two strangers and police stationed at the hotel intervened.