Moveaside Darcey Bussell - there could be a new girl in town.

Rosy Cornish of High Garrett, near Braintree, is only eight but she has already been picked to appear in the English Youth Ballet's production of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite.

Rosy, who goes to the Tiffany Stage Academy in Colchester, began dancing at the age of three.

She auditioned a few weeks ago along with about 500 other young dancers from around the region.

Although it was her first major audition, the producers picked her as one of a group of 100 dancers who will perform in the production in November.

Rosy's mum Maria Cornish said: "We are all very proud of her achievement. The age limit was eight and upwards so Rosy only just got in.

"My mother took her to see the Nutcracker at Southend earlier this year. After the show she said how much she would love to do something like that and now she's got her wish."

An added bonus for Rosy, who attends Bocking Church Street Primary school, will be working with internationally-renowned dancers Richard Slaughter and Ursula Hageli, who have the ballet's lead roles.

The show will be at the Regent Theatre, Ipswich, and Rosy will discover her role at a casting day on September 17.

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