The London riots Hackney Heroine Pauline Pearce has shocked Simon Cowell with her vocal skills at the latest round of auditions for Britain's Got Talent.
Pearce became a well known figure during the riots last summer, when video clips emerged of her berating rioters and standing up to gangs of youths.
A clip featuring Pearce waving her walking stick and shouting, "Why are you burning people's shops they have worked hard to build up?" went viral and she went on to make TV appearances on shows such as This Morning.
At the Hammersmith Apollo Got Talent auditions this week, Pearce performed Ralph McTell's 'The Streets of London' and Louis Armstrong's 'What A Wonderful World', which earned her cheers from the audience.
Cowell told Pearce: "You've got a lot of spirit and a lot of soul. You've a fantastic voice."
Earlier, Pearce had bantered with Cowell about her famous walking stick, telling the TV judge: "I only threaten people with my stick. I don't actually hit them.
"I wont hit you unless you're a rioter."
The 46-year-old grandmother is now expected to make the talent show's live semi-finals.
Britain's Got Talent returns to ITV1 in the spring.
