Jeweller's designs for X-Factor winner

CHART topping pop star and former X Factor winner, Alexandra Burke, took time out from her busy diva schedule for some retail therapy in Bury St Edmunds.

Jonathan Schofield

CHART topping pop star and former X Factor winner, Alexandra Burke, took time out from her busy diva schedule for some retail therapy in Bury St Edmunds.

Alexandra, who swept to fame after winning ITV's 2008 X Factor, made a surprise call to Bury based designer Lily Daly in early December and asked her to make a necklace, bracelet and earring set.

Mrs Daly, 26, who runs Lilyo jewellery shop in St Johns Street, said: “I was blown away that someone so famous should ask me to make jewellery for them. She said she had seen my designs and said I could make anything I wanted for her - which actually made it a much harder task.”

After making the jewellery set she met with the 21-year-old pop star on December 22 at SK Clinic and Spa in Northgate Street where the number one selling artist was being pampered for the day.

“She was there with her manager and her manager's mum having a day of treatments so I popped along with the jewellery. I was very nervous and had no idea if she would like it or not. Thankfully I didn't need to worry, she seemed really really happy. She was very down to earth, so bubbly and very excited about the whole thing.”

Miss Burke, who grew up on a council estate in North London, secured the Christmas number one spot in 2008 with her version of Hallelujah.

Her debut album, Overcome, entered the charts at number one when it was released last October.

Mrs Daly said making jewellery for such a massive pop star crowned a fantastic year. In October her shop won retailer of the year in Bury and her window design won the best Christmas window display.

The shop, which was recently featured in Vogue magazine, is selling the Alexandra Burke designs alongside a range of jewellery of which 30% of the sale price is donated to St Nicholas Hospice.