CHEEKY-FACED Matthew Williams decided he wanted TV fame at the age of three and, at eight, that dream has come true.

The Hindley Green schoolboy beat off opposition from hundreds of young actors nationwide to win his first role starring in a Dairylea Dunkers advertisement -- filmed in South Africa!

He and his family jetted off for a luxury week of filming in Cape Town and ash blond Matthew, of Hindley Green, loved every minute and proved a complete natural in front of the cameras.

For artist mum, Angela, and dad Martin, a computer programmer, it was their first return to Africa since moving home from Botswana when their eldest son Christopher, 11, was born there with disabilities.

Angela said: "Because they are all girls in our street we asked Matthew whether he wanted to join the Scouts or Boys' Brigade or play football or rugby, but he insisted all he wanted to do was act.

Year ago

"He used to drive us mad watching and re-enacting Jim Carey and Rowan Atkinson films, so a year ago we decided to take him to Dimples Model and Casting Agency in Leigh.

"We weren't expecting anything to come from it, but were delighted when he won through all the auditions to appear in the advert. It was a great surprise.

"He has wanted to be an actor since he was three and always said he wanted to be on television. It has soon come true and he loved every minute of it.

"Hopefully more will come from agencies seeing his work on the three advertisements."

In South Africa the family were treated like royalty, and before filming began were taken on numerous sightseeing tours.

The only stipulation was that Matthew, a big Bolton Wanderers' fan, who attends every home and away match, was not to get a tan! But that rule was relaxed when the family enjoyed an extra week's holiday in the sun at Port Elizabeth.