BELMONT Grosvenor School pupil Sofia Snowball will be making a splash when she takes to the stage in York this month.

The ten-year-old Year 5 student at the Harrogate prep school has landed a role in We Are Theatre’s The Little Mermaid, which opens at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre on June 24.

Sofia will be swapping her school books for song sheets as she transforms herself into a starfish and she has been chosen to sing an opening solo for the production too.

“All my friends and family are coming to the show," said Sofia. "I'm a little bit nervous about doing the opening solo but am really excited about being chosen to be a part of the musical. It’s going to be great."

Sofia is a member of Belmont Grosvenor School’s Curtain Call drama group, studies extra drama lessons and has piano and singing lessons too. She came first at Harrogate Festival for Verse Reading and third for Poetry.

She is no stranger to the limelight, having appeared on television in a Leapfrog advert and she will take to the West End stage later this year in Lazy Ace, a show produced by her Saturday drama group, the PQA Academy.

Belmont Grosvenor head teacher Jane Merriman said the school at Swarcliffe Hall, Birstwith, was proud of Sofia’s achievements. “I am sure Sofia will put her drama skills into action and will do herself, and her school, proud. We are all behind her and wishing her lots of luck,” she said.

The new musical version of Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid has a new script, original music and a live band and is awash with under-the-sea creatures. We Are Theatre's show will be staged on June 24 at 7.30pm and June 25 at 2.30pm and 7.30pm. Tickets can be booked on 01904 623568 or at yorktheatreroyal.co.uk