A PERFORMING arts and music theatre student from the North-East has beaten off national competition to clinch a part in a commissioned National Youth Music Theatre production.

Amy Colclough will perform in Such Sweet Thunder, a mixture of Shakespeare and the music of jazz great Duke Ellington.

The 19-year-old, who will soon graduate from Newcastle's College of Performing Arts, will not find out which character she will be playing until May.

In August, full rehearsals start in Newcastle.

These will lead up to performances of the show at Newcastle's Theatre Royal.