A BURNLEY youngster is set to become the next Billy Elliott after winning a place at a prestigious London theatre school.

Chris Parkinson, 10, beat off competition from thousands of other youngsters from across the country to scoop a scholarship at the Sylvia Young Theatre School.

Famous names who have attended the arts school include Todd Carty (Mark in Eastenders), 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 of Oliver! at Burnley Mechanics.

He 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.

Mum Joyce Booth, 38, who runs an engineering firm from the family home in The Meadows, Burnley, said fame was all Chris had ever wanted.

She added: "He is absolutely thrilled to bits and can't wait to get started.

This is a wonderful opportunity for him and he could be doing anything in the next few years from appearing in adverts or in West End shows. We are all so proud of him."

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

Auditions began last year before they were whittled down to the last 18 this week.

Chris 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.

Joyce said: "I am a bit worried about him going away to London but he is very confident so I am sure he will be all right. He has always wanted to be famous and hopefully this will be his chance."