A teenager who made her stage debut at just five years old hopes gaining a place with the National Youth Music Theatre could be her springboard to stardom.

Katy Osborne, 15, of Trinity Close, Wivenhoe, overcame stiff competition to be one of the 100 youngsters chosen from 1,500 who auditioned for a place with the company.

"I've always loved singing, dancing and acting ever since I started school," she said.

She has been a keen member of the Wivenhoe pantomime group since she was eight, but did not like her first audition for the national theatre.

"It was horrible. I was so nervous. But the people there were really nice, which helped me," she said.

Katy rushed home from school every day for the next three weeks to see if there was a letter.

Finally she was asked to attend a second audition and was told on the spot that she had been successful.

"I was really excited. It's brilliant," she said.

She will begin rehearsing for her first production, Creation, during half term next month. Katy is also applying to attend several stage schools.

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