Crossbow expert hits the target as he reaches Britain's Got Talent semi-final

A crossbow performer, a choir and an impressionist are among the acts taking part in the first live semi-final of Britain's Got Talent.

The lucky few who received three or more yeses from the judges were invited to the London Palladium to be told which 40 acts had been picked to join the five Golden Buzzer contestants in the live rounds of the show which kick off on Sunday night.

Among those bidding for glory are mother and son duo Mel & Jamie, performer Richard Bayton, performance squad Spartans Resurrection, dance crew Total TXS and Welsh dance troupe, the Ystrad Fawr Dancers.

They will be joined by 100 Voices Of Gospel, crossbow performer Ben Blaque, impressionist Darren Altman and singer Kathleen Jenkins.

Judge Simon Cowell is known for his love of dog acts, so dancing Pomeranian-Maltese mix Trip Hazard and his owner Lucy were chosen to go through.

The winner of the ITV show, now in its 10th year, will perform for the Queen at the Royal Variety Show and win a £250,000 prize.

Elizabeth II leapt around the stage and hugged her troupe of Queen's Guards as she was given the good news - but this was, in fact, the Elite Squad Royalz, a children's dance group from Oxford who had performed a hip-hop routine in royal fancy dress.

Dancer Jack Higgins, from Liverpool, will also see his Billy Elliot dream continue as he has been picked for the semi-finals.

Fellow Liverpudlian dancer Chloe Fenton, 10, followed Higgins through to the semi-final.

Singer Jenkins, a 25-year-old cleaner from Newport in South Wales, was in tears after ringing her father to tell him she was in the semi-finals.

But while it was a yes for Danny Beard from Manchester, who wore a sequin skirt and put glitter in his beard to perform Sweet Transvestite from the Rocky Horror Picture Show, drag queen Ruby Murry had a less successful day.

As the judges whittled down the acts and agonised over who to take through, other acts who made the cut included magician Christian Lee and Richard Jones, an Army Bandsman who showed off his mind-reading skills.

Children's entertainment act Vadik And The Bear, which features a giant polar bear, was successful, as were the Togni Brothers with their foot juggling skills.

Five acts already had guaranteed places in the live semi-finals after the judges and presenters used their Golden Buzzers to put them straight through.

Amanda Holden picked 12-year-old Beau Dermott for her rendition of Defying Gravity from Wicked, while Alesha Dixon hit the buzzer for 100 Voices Of Gospel.

Ian and Anne Marshall had inspired David Walliams with their performance of Beyonce's Crazy In Love, and hosts Ant and Dec were determined to see 14-year-old singer Jasmine Elcock through to the next round.

Cowell had pressed his Golden Buzzer to ensure that the dancing Stormtroopers of Boogie Storm were through to the semi-finals.

:: Britain's Got Talent live semi-finals air on Sunday May 22 through to Thursday May 26 at 7.30pm on ITV.