A TEN-YEAR-OLD aspiring actress has taken a huge step to fulfilling her dream after landing a leading role in a West End musical.

Connie Fisher, of Northallerton, made her debut in the Victoria Palace Theatre's long-running production of Billy Elliott on Wednesday (November 19) evening, playing Debbie, the daughter of the dance teacher, which is being performed by Ruthie Henshall.

She will perform the show, which has sold out until the end of next year, up to five times a week and will live with other cast members at an academy in London.

Connie, who has spent the past three months rehearsing since leaving Brompton Community Primary School, secured the role in the show about a boy in a northern mining town discovering a passion for dancing at her first ever audition, after impressing a panel with her dramatic skills.

She said while she started competing at freestyle dancing competitions with Northallerton-based academy Planet Dance aged four, events had taken a dramatic turn after recently joining the Val Armstrong School of Performing Arts, in Hartlepool to develop her singing and acting.

Connie said: "I was so excited when I found out I had got the part.

"It’s an amazing opportunity and I feel really lucky and hope I make everyone who has supported me proud.”

Mrs Armstrong said staff at the school were looking forward to seeing Connie, who became the Juvenile British Modern Dancing Champion in August, perform in the show.

She said: "It's a massive achievement for us in the North-East.

"Connie is a natural performer, has a flair for the acting and has a lovely stage presence."

She added that Connie was her sixth pupil to secure a part in the musical, and a previous incumbent of the role Fleur Houdijk, of Hartlepool, had gone on to star in Matilda the musical and the All Stars movie.

Mrs Armstrong said it remained uncertain how long Connie would perform the role as it dependent on a range of factors, such as her rate of growth.

The primary school's headteacher Jane Byrne said the school was very proud of Connie's achievements and said she hoped the youngster enjoyed the challenging role.