THE Evening Telegraph is urging readers to get behind Strictly Come Dancing star Tom Chambers in a bid to see him through to next week's semi-finals.

The Derbyshire actor is one of just four celebrities left in the competition and will be performing the rumba and the foxtrot in tonight's quarter-finals.

But regardless of what marks he is given by the four judges, the 31-year-old needs your support to escape the dreaded dance-off and the risk of being voted off the hit BBC show.

Our call to get people voting for the Holby City star is being backed by friends and family of Tom – who is originally from Parwich, near Ashbourne.

The Rev Adam Watkinson is the chaplain at Repton School, where Tom was a pupil, and helped to conduct the recent wedding ceremony for him and wife Clare.

He has been voting for Tom every week and last weekend got guests at a wedding reception to vote, too.

He said: "I was at a wedding when I got a call from a member of staff at the school to say it was really close and Tom could end up in the dance-off, so I got everyone at the reception to vote for him.

"Everyone really needs to get behind him so we can see him dance again next week."

To ensure that everything is perfect for his performance on the show tonight, Tom's professional partner, Camilla Dallerup, has resorted to using an elastic band during their training sessions to stop the actor's fingers from separating during the foxtrot.

Camilla has been urging Tom to dance the rumba, a sensuous Latin dance, from the heart.

Janet Gosling, landlady of the Sycamore Inn, in Parwich, went to school with Tom and will be watching the show in the pub with the rest of the village.

She said: "Tom's appearance on Strictly has been a hot topic of conversation in the village.

"I am backing him all the way and urge everyone to vote for him so we can see him dance in the semi-finals."