X Factor star slapped with arrest warrant after failing to attend court over drugs charge

X Factor star Rachel Hylton is wanted by police (Image: ITV)

X Factor finalist and promising songstress Rachel Hylton failed to appear in court.

She shot to fame after performing Amy Winehouse's You Know I'm No Good in her audition for the ITV show. Rachel was mentored in the over 25s category by Australian singer Dannii Minogue - sister to Kylie Minogue.

Competing in 2008 and reaching the final along with the likes of Alexandra Burke, she eventually lost out at the last minute to JLS in the sing-off.

Rachel was due to appear at Crawley Magistrates' Court today (October 29) over her alleged possession of cannabis resin - a class B drug. There is now a warrant out for her arrest, after no explanation was provided for her absence from Tuesday's hearing.

Prosecutor Jeremy King told the court: "She signed the charge sheet to appear today and nothing has been heard."

X Factor's Rachel Hylton during her audition (Image: ITV)

Rachel, now 42, had previously spoken of her longing to become a "respected well known artist" and complete her Performing Arts degree.

Hylton sang songs including Feeling Good and Rule The World on the X Factor but she was eliminated in week seven of the live shows, losing out in the sing-off to JLS.

She later credited the show with giving her "experience" and said she'd been "a fighter, not a quitter".

When she first appeared on X Factor, she was a 26-year-old mum of five.

She won the attention of music mogul Simon Cowell, who declared: "Everything about this girl blew me away.

"There are not enough people in this country who are given second chances - and I want to give this girl a second chance."

A warrant has now been issued for her arrest without bail.