One Direction tribute band enjoy Stateside stardom

The lads  who normally play hotels and holiday camps had a taste of international pop superstardom when they jetted out as surprise guests at the glitzy bash last weekend.

They performed two 45-minute sets and were treated like the real One Direction by birthday girl Tori Richardson and 200 of her screaming friends after her dad spotted them on YouTube.

Band member Tom Wainwright (20), from Kimberworth, said: “It was crazy. They were reaching out to grab us just like when you watch their gigs on TV. We felt like the real band.

“It’s nothing like we’ve ever done before.

“We’re usually playing hotels and holiday camps, that sort of thing, in places like York or Southampton. We did Doncaster Racecourse recently as well.

“But this was the proper pop star experience and a weekend we’ll never forget.”

Joining Tom for the US gig was his 18-year-old brother Billy Luckett, a bricklayer, and steelworks apprentice Ben Green (18), both from Kimberworth.

Their group \_ called Wanted Direction because they also play The Wanted tunes  also features Jarrad Scaife (17), from Sheffield and Lewis Hornsey (22), from Scunthorpe.

The party, which cost $10,000 last Saturday, was bankrolled by Tori’s father.

Tom, who works at Meadowhall, said: “We never knew his full name, we just had to call him Mr Richardson. He made all the arrangements for us to fly out and the hotel.

“I know he was in IT and had recently sold his company, so bringing us over was tuppence to him, really.

“But for us, it was out of this world. We flew back on Sunday and all went back to our day jobs on Monday morning.”

Tom and Billy’s mum Donna Luckett (46) said: “When it was being organised I kept thinking it wasn’t going to come off but then they started taking passport numbers and VISA details. They had the experience of a lifetime.”

Tim Barron, owner of Selby-based Pop Management, said: “All of them kept saying they were loving their holiday and I kept having to tell them it was work.

“They loved it. They went straight on stage from the bus and when they came off they were mobbed by the girls, who were kissing them and taking photos.

“This is a young band in its early days but they were able to play America because 1D have become so big it’s beyond belief.

“It shows what can happen in this business.”

Tim, who discovered Tom Parker from The Wanted, is searching for a new band member as Ben looks to concentrate on his engineering course.