A BURNLEY youngster who dreamt of becoming the next Billy Elliot after winning a place at a prestigious London theatre school has won a part in a major new stage production... playing Billy Elliot.

Ten year-old Chris Parkinson, beat off competition from hundreds of other youngsters from across the country to scoop the part of the talented young dancer.

He will play the part of Billy in a month-long series of workshops based on the film - which starred Jamie Bell in the lead role - culminating in two shows in August.

Delighted mum Joyce Booth, 38, who runs an engineering firm from the family home in The Meadows, Burnley, said getting the part of Billy was a fantastic achievement for her son.

She said: "Everyone is absolutely thrilled. When Chris got his place at the school everyone was talking about him becoming the next Billy Elliot and now here he is playing the part. I'm very proud of him."

Earlier this year Chris won a scholarship at the Sylvia Young Theatre School.

Famous names who have attended the arts school in the past include Todd Carty (Mark in Eastenders), TV presenter and singer Denise Van Outen, singer Billie Piper and Baby Spice Emma Bunton.

Chris, a pupil at St Mary Magdalen School in Burnley, will spend the next six years at the school where he will be trained in all the arts from ballet and tap dancing to singing and acting.

The youngster, however, is no stranger to the world of the performing arts having acted in a recent performance at the Royal Court.

He has also performed in a production of Oliver! at Burnley Mechanics and was also a regular at the Royal School of Ballet in Manchester, a place he will unfortunately have to give up when he goes to London in September.

Chris had to win through from more than a thousand hopefuls to gain his place at the London school.

The youngster won his place, worth around £25,000, by wowing the judges with a drama piece about a young boy with agoraphobia, the song 'Consider Yourself' from Oliver! and a dance routine.

Now mum Joyce is appealing for help with the cost of sending Chris to theatre school.

Anyone who wants to help out can call her on 01282 411401 or 07968043650.