DANCER Naomi Jones has only been dancing for three-and-a-half years but she has won a part in the Christmas pantomime at the Manchester Opera House.

The nine-year-old from Schofield Road, Rawtenstall, attends the Debra McClaren School of Dancing in Rawtenstall and has also been coached by Debra's daughter Danielle Rawsthorne, who is currently dancing on the QE2.

Proud mum Virginia Nelson said: "A lot of children start dancing at three but Naomi only started three-and-a-half years ago.

"Debra and Danielle have worked really hard with her to help her progress to the standard of the other girls and now she has been picked out of hundreds to appear as part of the chorus for the pantomime Aladdin."

Naomi will be on stage with former Emmerdale star and Blue Peter presenter Tim Vincent, ex Coronation Street and Crossroads star Sherrie Hewson, illusionist Richard De Vere, Shovel from M People and the Roly Polys.

She started rehearsals today and they continue until the opening night of December 21.

There are two teams of dancers in the chorus and Naomi's team will open the pantomime's run.

Virginia said: "She will be on stage twice a day in the matinee and evening performance and so she may need some time off school.

"She has done so well to say she had never done any dancing until three-and-a-half years ago but she has caught up really quickly.

"Naomi was really excited as I drove her to Liverpool for the audition. She was taken into a class with other dancers and they had to perform set routines and add their own character to the dance.

"I wasn't allowed in to watch and then when they all came out the teacher picked Naomi and this other girl and Naomi gave me a big cheesy grin!"

Naomi, a pupil at St Paul's CE School, Constablelee, has a twin brother Peter and older sisters Natalie, 21, Nadine, 18 and Natasha, 14.