Underage girl band kicked out of X Factor

A singing trio who earned a place in the final 24 of The X Factor have been axed from the show as one of the female members is too young.

Tru Colourz were shown progressing from the 'boot camp' stage of the ITV1 show this weekend but have now been told to leave the programme after producers learned one of their number was under 16, the minimum age limit for the competition.

The trio have been replaced by four-piece Harmony Hood and told to reapply next year.

Judge Louis Walsh is mentoring the groups category on this year's X Factor, with Boyzone's Ronan Keating assisting his former manager in picking three groups from Harmony Hood, Miss Frank, Project A and Kandy Rain, and duos De-Tour and John And Edward.

Cheryl Cole is mentoring the 16-25 boys, with former Pop Idol star Will Young assisting, and will pick three hopefuls from 16-year-old Lloyd Daniels, 19-year-old Ethan Boroian, 18-year-old Joseph McElderry, 24-year-old Duane Lamonte, 19-year-old Daniel Fox and 21-year-old Rikki Lonley.

With the help of her sister Kylie, Dannii Minogue is mentoring the girls category, comprised of 18-year-old Welsh singer Lucie Jones, 20-year-old Despina Pilavakis, 19-year-old Nicole Jackson, 20-year-old former S Club Juniors member Stacey McLean, 19-year-old Essex single mother Stacey Soloman and 18-year-old Rachel Adedeji.

Finally, Simon Cowell is mentoring the over 25s, with the help of old flame Sinitta, and will pick a trio to advance from a group including 31-year-old Daniel Pearce, 27-year-old teacher Danyl Johnson, 25-year-old Treyc Cohen, 25-year-old Olly Murs, 31-year-old Nicole Lawrence and 34-year-old Jamie 'Afro' Archer.