Ben Haenow sealed inside X Factor mausoleum in Simon Cowell’s garden

The 2014 winner of The X Factor, Ben Haenow, has been laid to rest inside the X Factor mausoleum after a short ceremony at the bottom of Simon Cowell’s garden.

The 30-year-old from Croydon was interred after a short musical tribute from a group of studio musicians, who played a sombre, minor key version of his debut single “Something I Need”.

Cowell then gave the customary ‘thumbs down’ signal and set fire to his recording contract while Haenow was solemnly sealed inside the monument.

“The time of Haenow has passed,“ Cowell told the gathered crowd. “Now we shall celebrate Louisa Johnson – let us hope that her Christmas single brings high sales figures and that the X Factor may continue for another year, despite low ratings and flagging interest. Amen.”

“Although we could all hear him screaming from inside the mausoleum I think they were simply screams of pure joy at taking his rightful place alongside other previous X Factor winners,” said one person who attended the ceremony.

“Who wouldn’t show utter elation at the prospect of spending eternity with Steve Brookstein?”