He might not have won the X Factor, but big-haired Jamie Archer proved to be a massive hit with a couple who hired him to perform at their wedding in Norwich.

Canaries supporter Carl Moore, owns Loco Ltd, a tele-communications company in Diss, and is also remembered for digging deep into his pockets to help secure the services of former Canary hero Darren Huckerby. He and new wife Adele were massive fans of the wannabe rocker, who was dubbed Jamie Afro, on last year's show.

Jamie was famed for his rendition of the Kings of Leon hit Sex on Fire and won through to the final 12 of the competition.

But while he failed to win the talent contest, he did strike a chord with the couple who knew there and then that they wanted him to perform at their wedding.

The couple, who married at St Lucia in August last year, held a wedding reception for family, friends and some former Canary footballers, including Darren Huckerby, Bryan Gunn, Mike Milligan and Dale Gordon, at Sprowston Manor earlier this year.

Mrs Moore, 44, from Lowestoft, who has two children from a previous relationship and has been with her husband for three-and-a-half years, said: 'We loved him.

'He was our favourite on the X Factor and we were adamant, even when he didn't win, that we wanted him.

'Not many people knew Jamie was coming, it was a surprise. We had a big stage and black out curtains so it was a major surprise. Sex on Fire was our favourite song and my husband got on stage with him and sang the whole song.

'He was only supposed to do 30 minutes but he came back and did another 20 minutes, so that was great. He's a fantastic entertainer.'

The couple are thankful to wedding organiser Julie-Ann Gage, who managed to get the former X Factor contestant to perform.

Mrs Gage, who lives at Rackheath, near Norwich, and has been planning weddings for more than 20 years, said: 'They really liked his song Sex on Fire; I think that meant quite a lot to them as a couple.

'And because Carl was such a big fan of that song, I asked if he could come back and perform it again, which he did when he could have just diva'd off.

'He did a meet and greet with the guests. He was a really lovely person.'

Jamie Archer is also appearing at the Mall Norwich on November 11 as part of its Magical Christmas Experience.

To find out more about Julie-Ann Gage's wedding organising service, call 01603 722669 or 07766565689.

Have you had a wedding with a difference? Call Peter Walsh on 01603 772436 or email peter.walsh@archant.co.uk