[Red Moon]

Hallelujah, it's a holiday at last for X Factor winner Alexandra... and former rival Ruth goes too

Losing X Factor contestants are always at pains to stress what good friends they are with those remaining in the competition and how they are routing for them to do well.

Viewers may suspect that beneath the friendly hugs they are all secretly wishing the others would simply disappear, but it seems that Ruth Lorenzo and Alexandra Burke have overcome the odds to build a real friendship.

Holding hands the girls were pictured laughing and joking at Heathrow airport as they prepared to board a plane to Mauritius today.

Alexandra, 20, dressed casually but stylishly in a T-shirt and black jeans, with a new designer bag slung over her arm. Ruth showed off her figure in a low-cut red top, black leather jacket and jeans, and a pair of open toe high heels.

The well-endowed Spanish beauty, 25, became firm friends with the eventual winner while inside the house. And despite Ruth's relatively early departure from the competition she obviously bares no ill will towards her new best friend.

Despite Alexandra's busy schedule they have found time to stay in touch - becoming flat mates, and now jetting off on a luxury holiday.

Since winning the competition Alexandra has had a Christmas number one with Hallelujah, which became the biggest selling single of 2008. And she set new records for downloading.

She recently spoke about how she was planning to avoid relationships with any men until she had established her career.

'They’re a waste of time, a waste of space! They’re only going to be good for me when I’m about 30 and thinking about kids. Music is my husband until then,' she said.

But this strict rule obviously doesn't apply to her female friends, with Ruth perhaps able to understand some of the upheaval Alexandra is experiencing.

Source and pictures: Daily Mail