A YEAR three pupil at Heathfield Knoll School will take to the stage in The Railway Children at Kidderminster's Rose Theatre this December.

Luca Griffin, who lives in Kidderminster, was plucked from the Rose Young People's Theatre Summer Camp earlier this year and cast as one of the children of Perks, the station porter.

Rehearsals are well under way ahead of opening night on Monday, December 2, and the eight-year-old can't wait to tread the boards for the very first time alongside The Nonentities at The Rose.

Luca's dad Kris said: "It's lovely to watch Luca do something that comes so naturally to him and love it so much.

"He plays guitar and the drums and sings around the house. If you ask him what he wants to be when he grows up, he says a rock star, but something on stage definitely beckons.

"He just likes taking opportunities with both hands and enjoys working with other people. We couldn't be prouder."

Kidderminster Shuttle:

The Railway Children tells the story of the Waterbury children, Roberta, Peter and Phyllis, who move to a cottage after their father is imprisoned.

They embark on a series of adventures when they discover a railway near to their home, run by affable station master Perks.

Mike Kenny's is a new and faithful adaptation of the much-loved Edith Nesbit story. It was first performed in 2008 at the National Railway Museum in York, using a real steam engine.

But this take on The Railway Children harnesses the imagination of the audience and the skill of the actors to bring the tale to life.

Kidderminster Shuttle:

Luca, who is taking his level one London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art Award at Heathfield Knoll, is also appearing in the sold out Once Upon A Panto Christmas show at The Rose next month.

Headmaster of the Wolverley school, Lawrence Collins, said: "Luca is a bright and talented boy.

"It is to Luca's credit that he is able to balance the demands of a busy rehearsal schedule along with his school work - and not to mention keeping up with his rather loud drum lessons in school!”

The Railway Children runs from December 2 to December 7. Visit rosetheatre.co.uk or call 01562 743745 for tickets.