Keighley youngster Amy Harper sang solo at the London Palladium this month as part of a big-budget musical.

The 11-year-old Holy Family School student took centre stage in the showcase presentation Life on Earth.

Amy, of Greengate Farm, had to travel to London for rehearsals every Sunday for ten weeks.

During one flight to the capital she was seated next to television celebrities Ant and Dec.

She was among several young theatre hopefuls who won a place in the cast during national auditions.

The aim of the show's organisers was to bring talented newcomers of all ages to the attention of agents and theatre producers.

Amy was one of several children earmarked for West End shows, such as The Sound of Music and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. But her mother Clare believes Amy is too young and lives too far away from London for her to take up such opportunities.

Mrs Harper said: "I can't let Amy do that now -- it would mean taking her out of school for seven weeks at a time."

Life on Earth was a compilation of popular songs from hit musicals and pop charts of the past two decades.

Amy is no stranger to performing after spending the past four years at Bradford theatre school Stage 84.

She has taken part in a professional production at Harewood House and danced in the pantomime at Bradford Alhambra.

Mrs Harper said that during Life on Earth, her daughter was given solo lines in songs such as Hard Knock Life. She said: "They gave Amy all the little sweetie-pie parts. She got a standing ovation."