A LIFEGUARD was left starstruck after meeting a TV talent show celebrity, who is believed to be staying in Oxfordshire.

Rhydian Roberts - who is recovering from the pain of losing out on X-Factor - was spotted by Glenn Filer 'working out' at the leisure centre in Berinsfield.

Glenn, 17, who had popped into the Abbey Sports Centre on his day off, could not believe his luck when he saw the Welsh singer using a shoulder press in the gym.

The teenager, who has worked at the centre in Green Furlong since February, waited for the X-Factor runner-up to finish his exercises before asking for an autograph.

He was tipped off by his mother Penny, a manager at the centre, who rang him to tell him there was someone famous in the building.

When he heard it was Rhydian - who came second to Leon Jackson in the live final on the ITV1 talent show - was in the gym, he thought his mother was joking.

He said: "I congratulated him on how well he had done in the contest. He said thank you and that it was nice to meet me.

"I was so shocked. I could not believe it!

"I shook his hand and he took my piece of paper and pen and signed an autograph. He put To Glenn, nice to meet you, from Rhydian'.

"He was quite happy being in the gym with other members of the public. I think he stayed for about two hours."

Glenn, who has laminated his autograph, said he had been showing it off to his envious friends.

'It's just a shame I didn't ask him if he was disappointed that he hadn't won' He said: "It's just a shame I didn't ask him if he was disappointed that he hadn't won the contest. That would have been a great question to ask."

The 24-year-old opera singer from Sennybridge ditched rugby for a singing career, but clearly still wants to keep in shape.

Jo Passey, duty manager, said: "My children loved the fact that we had Rhydian here.

"They were very excited when I told them.

"It's fantastic to have someone famous use the facilities.

"A few years ago, we had Tessa Peake-Jones, who played Only Fools and Horses character Rachel Turner - or 'Raquel' as Del Boy used to call her."

There were rumours that Rhydian - branded "revolting" by judge Sharon Osbourne on the TV programme - had been staying at the Shillingford Bridge Hotel at Shillingford, near Wallingford.

But staff at the hotel quashed the rumours and said if he had chosen to stay at the hotel, which overlooks the River Thames, he would have been given "specialist treatment".

Reception manager Shirley Jarvis said: "If Rhydian had been staying here, I would have stayed here as well! I would have got his autograph.

"I watched the programme and even though I did want Leon to win, I thought Rhydian sang well - and seemed lovely."