Grieving Pop Idol star Danny Tetley will give the most emotional performance of his life when he sings at the funeral of stabbing victim Lee Firth.

The Telegraph & Argus reported yesterday how 18-year-old Lee, an aspiring male model, lost his 14-hour battle for life after being stabbed while visiting friends in Halifax.

Although no arrangements will be made until their son's body has been released, Lee's heartbroken parents, Karen and Trevor Firth, of Greengates, are expecting hundreds of friends and family to attend his funeral service.

And they say they are deeply moved by Danny's offer to pay tribute to Lee - one of his best friends - by singing at the service.

Danny, 21, of Windhill, Shipley, is set to perform the classic Chris de Burgh ballad Lady In Red, a song Lee himself once sung to win a heat in a pub karaoke contest.

Danny, who won millions of fans after overcoming the adversity of having a cleft palate and harelip to reach the last 75 in ITV's Pop Idol contest, said: "It's definitely going to be the most emotional performance of my life.

"It's going to be very hard to do and I shouldn't think I'll ever be able to sing that song again after the funeral.

"Lee used to sing Lady in Red himself. He was always asking me to sing, and joked that if ever he happened to go he'd like me to sing at his funeral.

"I just thought it would be nice and appropriate to do that song one last time and nothing would make me more proud than singing it as a tribute to Lee.''

Danny, Pop Idol analyst on Channel Four's Big Breakfast show, added: "I'd got to know him through karaoke - we were close friends and used to go out all the time.

"I just keep breaking down when I think about what happened and can't believe we're never going to see him again.

"Lee was an absolute laugh and so well loved by everyone. He could make anyone laugh and if you could call anyone 'the life and soul of the party' it was him.''

Lee's mother Karen, 38, said: "It's very touching that Danny wants to do this. It'll definitely be very moving.

"Lee would be over the moon about it. We know how much he thought of Danny and how proud he was of what his friend had achieved. We'll never forget the time he said we had to watch Pop Idol as 'Tets' was on.''