A HASLINGDEN school pupil is forging a career on the stage after starring in acclaimed musical Billy Elliott.

Rising star Henry Farmer plays Billy's best friend Michael in the popular production which is currently on at Manchester's Palace Theatre.

For the last 10 months, the Haslingden High School pupil has been one of four young actors playing the role and since February has starred in nearly 70 performances at theatres across the country.

The 11-year-old said: "On my seventh birthday we went to the Palace Theatre to see Oliver and I said to my parents, 'I want to be on that stage'."

While still at Haslingden Primary School, Henry joined Rossendale Dance and Drama Centre (RDDC) in Waterfoot where he began learning street dance and musical theatre.

MORE TOP STORIES:

His mum Julie, 47, who now runs the RDDC's casting agency, said: "Within four weeks he was also doing ballet, tap and dance."

He added more genres to his extra curricular activity and went to London for a casting that would eventually lead him to land him the role of Michael.

When the casting director said he was too young and advised he work on his tap dancing and acting, he enrolled for private lessons with teachers from RDDC.

Teacher Becki Onley was credited in the programme for Billy Elliot for her work with Henry.

The year seven student now spends three weeks while he is working staying with other young cast members, chaperones and tutors. Mornings are spent on school work, afternoons on rehearsals and evenings on performance.

When the tour was in Sunderland, Harry's dad Paul, 48, who is in Summerseat Players, said they visited Easington Colliery where the film is based.

He said: "When they held the last performance in the West End in April, Easington Colliery Band performed on stage and proceeds from the performance went to the East Durham Trust who support former mining communities.

"We support Henry in the choice he has made because he is doing what he wants to and he puts a lot of time and effort in."

Henry said: "I couldn’t stand up and sing in front of an audience of 30 or even three, but when it is in front of 2,000 people I can do it, because you can’t see the audience when you are on the stage."

The last venue in the UK-tour is Milton Keynes in May 2017 and then it will be in Hamburg in Germany in June and July.