Singing sensation in passport row

Brendan MacFarlane has been invited to sing in New York

A Scottish schoolboy has been forced to put his dream of international stardom on hold after his mother did not turn up for a court hearing.

Singer Brendan MacFarlane, 11, has taken his mother to court to force her to hand over his passport.

The internet phenomenon from Perth has been invited to perform on a popular American talent show after being spotted on You Tube.

Brendan lives with his father after his parents split up last year.

He is at the centre of a bitter dispute between his mother Angela White and his father George MacFarlane

His web performances have received more than 200,000 hits and he was asked to sing live in New York on Maury's Most Talented Kids.

Lawyers acting for the schoolboy were hoping to persuade a sheriff to order that Ms White hand over the passport to allow him to travel abroad.

But the court was told that she had been unable to turn up for the hearing because she had an upset stomach.

The civil case had to be put off until next month and Brendan's bid to perform live in front of millions will be delayed for at least four weeks.

Ms White was ordered to bring a medical certificate to court next time to confirm her illness was genuine.