X Factor excitement in Northern Ireland is expected to reach fever pitch tomorrow as Eoghan Quigg finally returns to Dungiven.

Thousands of Eoghan fans are expected to descend upon the schoolboy’s hometown on Sunday to catch a glimpse of him and congratulate him for making it to the final of the ITV programme.

While the 16-year-old singing sensation failed to clinch the £1m record deal in last Saturday night’s live final, his performances throughout the competition have firmly establish him as a star in the making.

It is not yet known if Eoghan will perform any of the songs which have turned him into a household name when he makes his highly anticipated appearance in the town which supported him loyally throughout the competition. It has emerged that the youngster, who was never in the bottom two throughout the entire process, received the most public votes in six of the nine live shows — and with speculation over his relationship with fellow contestant Diana Vickers, he has become a firm favourite with the Press.

Now he is set for a homecoming parade to Dungiven, where he will appear on a special open top bus which will take him around the town from 2pm on Sunday.

And with organisers of the parade expecting up to 10,000 Eoghan fans to flock to the small Co Londonderry town, police are advising anyone not attending the event to stay away.

There will be no access to the town between 11am and 5pm and, as Dungiven lies on the main route between Northern Ireland’s two main cities, motorists travelling between Londonderry and Belfast on Sunday face long diversions.

A PSNI spokesman explained: “All HGVs, lorries and large vehicles travelling from Belfast will be diverted from the Glenshane Road through Maghera. HGVs travelling towards Belfast will be diverted from the Foreglen Road onto the Barnault Road towards Limavady.

“All car traffic coming into Dungiven from the Glenshane direction will be diverted via Curragh Road, Ballyquin Road, Derryork Road, Drumrane Road and Altmover Road.

“All car traffic coming to Dungiven from Derry will divert either at Barnault Road at Claudy or at the junction of the Altmover Road and Foreglen Road.”

Car parks will be available to those who wish to attend the homecoming on the Derry to Dungiven roadside and the Belfast to Dungiven roadside. Those people who live within walking distance have been asked to travel on foot.

There will be disabled parking at a car park next to Dungiven Castle and special areas will be reserved for wheelchair users at a number of locations on Main Street. Anyone under the age of 14 must be accompanied by a person aged 18 or over.

Eoghan is expected to arrive in Dungiven at about 2pm and the parade will make its way through the town via Main Street, Ballyquin Road, Station Road, New Street and back out onto Main Street towards Belfast.