Shayne-mania! The day BBC Strictly Come Dancing star Shayne Ward brought Manchester to a standstill

While it's his fancy footwork impressing the nation on Strictly Come Dancing, 19 years ago Shayne Ward was bringing the whole of Manchester to a standstill with another talent - his voice.

The city was in the grip of "Shayne Mania" following his victory on The X Factor as the talent show's second ever champion. The Clayton star had scored the 2005 Christmas number one with his debut single, That's My Goal, shifting a mind-boggling 300,000 copies which would go on to become the third fastest-selling single of all time.

And by the following April, Shayne was preparing to launch his debut album into the charts. His management team at the time, led by X Factor judge Louis Walsh, hatched a plan to stage an extraordinary homecoming right in the middle of Manchester city centre - on Albert Square.

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And what a hero's welcome it would be. We've delved into the MEN archives to relive the moments that our photographer Andy Lambert captured that day.

There had been huge support for Shayne in the city ever since he sailed through The X Factor auditions and on to the live shows. Then, the public voted in their thousands to keep him in each week and ultimately crown him the winner.

Staging a free public homecoming event for his fans was seen as his way of thanking everybody in his home city for their loyal support during his time on the prime-time ITV show.

His team arranged with council officials for a "victory parade" through the city centre on the bank holiday Monday of April 17, 2006. A number of roads were even closed off to allow fans to safely gather in there thousands to greet their homecoming hero - bringing Manchester to a near standstill with Corporation Street, Cross Street, Lloyd Street and Princess Street all closed to await his arrival.

He would go on to meet with civic dignitaries like Cllr Pat Karney - where he was bestowed with a special "Making it Happen Award" by the city's top brass.

The whole of Albert Square was cordoned off for the free show, and every inch was filled with fans. It was a bank holiday Monday, and a crowd of 15,000 fans turned out. It was said at the time to be the biggest homecoming on the streets of Manchester since Manchester United's treble-winning success of 1999.

As the MEN wrote at the time, just a year before he had been selling shoes to customers in the Arndale Centre. But the stardust of The X Factor had made him the most in-demand pop star in the country.

He "thrilled an audience of young and old" we wrote, performing six of his biggest songs at the time - including his mesmerising version of Somewhere Over The Rainbow, debut chart-topper That's My Goal and his new single at the time, No Promises.

He was cheered on by his loyal family and his girlfriend at the time, actress Faye McKeever. And he was joined on stage by his mentor Louis, who had championed him throughout The X Factor series.

Shayne paid tribute to all those who had supported him in his X Factor journey in an emotional moment on stage.

He told the MEN that day: "I was excited and nervous about today - I didn't know what to expect. I didn't think anyone was going to turn up!"

He added: "I've done this gig today for Manchester, and to thank everybody for their support."

Shayne Mania had begun early in the city that day - with fans queuing patiently from the early hours to get the best spot on Albert Square.

A huge stage was set up on the Princess Street side of the square with banners of his face and name emblazoned across that fans rushed to get to.

There was also a promenade stage allowing Shayne to walk out and see all of his fans, and see many of the home-made flags and banners people had brought to wave their messages to him.

Among the fans we spoke to that day included Mary Feay from Sale who had taken along her son Sean. She said: "We like everything about him - he's just down to earth and nice."

Claire Oxley, a nursery nurse from Reddish, had taken her daughter Ellie - who aged two at the time she counted as one of Shayne's youngest fans. Claire said: "Ellie loves him - sometimes when he's on the telly she chants: 'Shayne, Shayne, Shayne'!"

We wonder if a grown-up Ellie is now watching his Strictly journey with the same gusto...

Shayne will now be hoping for the same wave of public support from Mancs on his Strictly journey. Partnered with Nancy Xiu, he has already been impressing the judges with his moves four weeks into the competition and has won through each vote to stay another week.

On Saturday night he'll be hoping that the music of fellow Mancs will inspire him as he performs the Cha Cha. For he'll be dancing to Sub Sub's Ain't No Love (Ain't No Use).

The band were formed in Handforth by Jimi Goodwin and brothers Andy and Jez Williams, who famously went on to become Doves after their early foray with dance music.