A BUDDING actor could be following in the footsteps of a famous old boy at his school.

Thomas Wells was selected from hundreds of hopefuls to land the lead role of Oliver! for a summer holiday youth drama production being staged in Durham.

The stage-struck 12-year-old began intense rehearsals with the rest of the 100-strong cast at Houghall College over the weekend.

Eleven days of round-the-clock rehearsing will culminate with a four-night run on stage at the Gala Theatre, starting on Wednesday.

Thomas, from Billingham, is a pupil at the town's Northfield Comprehensive, and also attends Stagecoach Theatre Arts School at Yarm. The last famous former pupil of both schools was Jamie Bell who shot to fame in the film Billy Elliott.

Trudy Hindmarsh, the principal of Yarm Stagecoach and a former primary school teacher of Thomas said: "I remember him telling me he had a dream to have drama lessons.

"Sometime later fate intervened and I saw him and his mum in the street and invited Thomas to join Stagecoach.He's been with me now for three years."

Oliver! staged by the Dionysis Theatre Company, runs from Wednesday to Saturday, August 21 - 24, with curtain up at 7.30pm nightly. Tickets are available at the Gala Theatre box office on (0191) 332 4041.