A BLACKBURN actor has beaten many of Britain’s finest drama students to win the prestigious prize that launched Hollywood leading man Ewan McGregor to superstardom.

Adam Warren, 21, of Whalley New Road, Roe Lee, is one of 13 people granted the £2,500 Laurence Olivier Bursary.

The award was created by The Society of London Theatre in 1987 to celeb-rate the 80th birthday of the Oscar-winning performer by helping students with talent facing financial difficulties.

Adam would have been unable to afford the third year of his degree at the Birmingham School of Acting without the money for rent and living expenses. Pupils must perform three plays in the last stage of the course which makes it difficult to do part-time jobs.

The former Pleckgate High pupil was one of 40 students from elite performing arts school in the UK chosen to apply for the prize.

His auditions at the Ambassadors Theatre in London’s West End included recitals as Romeo from Romeo and Juliet and Amadeus Mozart, plus a song from musical Different.

Adam, who has seven siblings, was overjoyed when he heard his try-out had been successful.

He said: “I was performing Romeo and Juliet in Birmingham when the course leader asked to speak to me.

“You never get called to see her unless it’s bad news, but this time it was the best possible, so I kissed her on both cheeks!

“Without the money I would have definitely had to sit out next year.

“It has paid for the rent until Christmas, head shots for my portfolio and a holiday in Spain with a personal trainer to get in the best shape possible.

“It’s such an honour to receive the bursary and it’s amazing that my name is on a roll call of previous winners including Ewan McGregor, Martin Sheen and Paterson Joseph.”

Adam received top grades in four A-Levels at Runshaw College and was a member of the Ribchester Amateur Theatric Society from 1999-2005.

Sixth form tutor Martin Gaskell, 36, wished him all the best for the future, saying: “Adam is a wonderfully talented per-former and I am not surprised to hear of this achievement.

"With his tremendous work ethic and ability to act and sing, I see nothing but success.”