YOUNGSTERS keen to make their mark on stage gave a casting committee a major headache when they queued up for parts in the musical Oliver.

Seventy-one hopefuls stepped forward in a bid to secure roles in the production by Harrogate Operatic Players at the town's theatre.

Up for grabs were key roles as well as workhouse boys and members of Fagin's Gang. Of those seen, 24 were selected for the musical, which is being staged from July 5 to 9.

Two young performers with a string of impressive credits behind them secured leading roles.

Landing the role of Oliver was 11-year-old George Longworth, who will be making his Harrogate stage debut with one of North Yorkshire's leading amateur societies.

And 14-year-old Joel Rimmer is taking the part of The Artful Dodger.

George has appeared on television as one of the children in the chorus of the Little Prince, on BBC2 last November.

He says highlights of the production were recording songs at the Abbey Road Studios, made famous by The Beatles. He also met stars Lesley Garratt and Aled Jones.

George's singing career began at the Choir School of King's College, Cambridge.

Joel has already made his mark at Harrogate Theatre with an impressive performance as Prince Chululongkorn in the society's production of The King and I.

Since then, the Knaresborough School of Speech and Drama student has also been seen on television, last August in ITV's My Parents are Aliens.

As part of a hectic schedule, Joel will be playing Nathan Detroit in Harrogate Youth Theatre's abridged version of Guys and Dolls and as a promenade actor in A Midsummer Night's Dream, at Ripley Castle.

Tickets for Oliver are available from (01423) 502116.