A STUDENT from Worthing High School will be taking on the title role in The Amazing Adventures of Pinocchio at the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts in Falmer this Christmas.

Fleur Aston, 13, studies part-time at the Sylvia Young Theatre School in London and attends the Jean Butterworth School of Dance in Tarring.

She beat dozens of other young hopefuls from across the county to win the role of Pinocchio.

She will join 12 juvenile dancers along with aerial performers from The Circus Project, alongside local stars Gina Cameron (EastEnders) as The Good Fairy, Pip Henderson as the wicked Ring Mistress and Brian Capron (Coronation Street) who lends his voice to the show.

She said: “I jumped for joy when I found out!

“I can’t wait to get started in rehearsals and get back on the stage where I feel most at home.

“I love making people smile or feel emotional, especially my nana and granddad who mean the world to me and are my number one fans and biggest support.

“I’m really excited about all the circus tricks and can’t wait to see the silks and hoops.”

Fleur last performed in pantomime in 2013 as the young Cinderella in Cinders at the Emporium Theatre in Brighton, and has gone on to perform in theatre, film and dance shows including the Brighton Fringe play, This Boy Tom.

She will share the role with two other young actors – Frankie Milward, from Brighton, and Cooper Snow, from Rottingdean.

This is the first time in ten years that a pantomime has been produced at the venue which is located on the University of Sussex campus.

Tickets for the production, which opens on December 20 and runs until January 6, are on sale now and can be purchased via www.attenboroughcentre.com or by calling 01273 678822.

Meanwhile, businesses have an opportunity to get involved in the panto as Charity Champions.

Panto director James Weisz said: “We’d like one or more businesses to become Charity Champions and sponsor a whole performance of Pinocchio.

“They’ll be able to then donate tickets to those who might not otherwise have a chance to see it.

“Businesses can also include their staff and families if they wish to, or get together with like-minded companies and club together to become Charity Champions.

“It’ll be great fun and an unusual way to support the local community.

“They’ll benefit from all the PR and publicity we’re organising between now and Christmas but more importantly know they’ve done a seasonal, special good deed.”