After a fortnight in which discussion of her looks has occupied probably as much newsprint and internet bandwidth as the Budget, singing sensation Susan Boyle appears to have caved in and undergone a makeover.
The 47-year-old's greying hair and plain attire have been the subject of intense debate across the country since her spine-tingling performance of I Dreamed A Dream on Britain's Got Talent.
But now she has been spotted outside her home in Blackburn, West Lothian, with chestnut brown locks and sporting a leather jacket.
The spinster, who lives with her cat Pebbles, also appeared to be wearing make-up.
She was pictured wearing smart trousers and heels as she set off for the shops.
A local hairdresser is reported to have carried out the singer's makeover.
In an interview earlier this week, Boyle said she was happy with the way she looked, but still felt scarred by taunts she suffered because of her unruly hair as a youngster.
"The ones who were mean to me then are now nice to me. I still see the kids I went to school with because we all live in the same area," she told Star magazine. They accept me now. And look at me - I've had the last laugh."
Online video clips of the unemployed church volunteer's performance on April 11 have wowed fans around the world, and Boyle counts actress Demi Moore among her supporters.
She is the hot favourite to walk away with the ITV1 show's £100,000 jackpot, and said she would be humbled to perform in front of the Queen at the Royal Variety Performance - another part of the winner's prize.
