ASPIRING actress Hayley Standing is hoping her showbiz career will blossom after becoming friends with Lord of the Rings star Sir Ian McKellen.

Graduate Hayley was given a Bonsai tree as a gift by the Burnley-born star after featuring alongside him in the play 'The Dance of Death' at the Lyric Theatre in London's West End.

And now her acting career has been given another boost after she was accepted in a role to star alongside Corin Redgrave.

Hayley, 23, who lived in Langdale Rise, Colne, before moving to London to pursue her dream of acting, became good friends with Sir Ian before he had to leave early to film extra scenes for the Lord of The Rings.

And as leaving presents all the cast of The Dance of Death were given Bonsai trees -- which Sir Ian left for Hayley to look after.

She said: "We got on really well, especially with us both being from the same area. I couldn't believe it when he told me he was born in Burnley. For his birthday I bought him some books about Burnley's history, which he loved. He said a a plaque had been put up at the house where he was born in Scott Park Road which he thought was a nice gesture.

"He asked me to look after his Bonsai tree so I now send him emails from the tree to let him know how it is which he thinks is funny.

"We are defiantly going to keep in touch just because we got on so well, I will miss working with him."

Hayley is set to start rehearsals for the Recruiting Officer at Litchfield Garrick Theatre where she will play Rose, a country wench.

The play is being staged by Corin Redgrave's Moving Theatre Company which he started in 1993 with his sister Vanessa and his actress wife Kika Markham.

Hayley became a well-known face early last year when she hit people's screens as a caravanning holidaymaker in the comedy McDonald's advertisement for the Creme Egg and Terry's Chocolate Orange McFlurry.

She also had a small part in the second episode of the last BBC1 series Dalziel and Pascoe, a bigger part playing a girl with severe learning difficulties in the BBC1 soap Doctors and recently filmed My Dad's A Prime Minister for BBC1, which will broadcast later this year.

Hayley, who went to Fisher More High School, Colne, was snapped up by an agent after completing her BA degree in acting at the Manchester Metropolitan School of Theatre.

She has also had a small part in the comedy Ted and Alice on BBC 1 and an advert for ITV2 Sport, starring Nick Hancock.

Her family now live in Manchester Road, Barnoldswick.