A SEVEN-year-old girl from the North-East has become the new voice of a TV cartoon character.

Lucy Moss, a pupil at Polam Hall School, in Darlington, plays Emily the Elephant in a new series of Peppa Pig, which will be on Channel Five later in the spring.

Lucy has been with the Stagecoach Darlington drama school since she was three, and won the part after impressing producers at an audition in London, in December.

She has previously performed in theatre shows The King and I, in Billingham, and the Wizard of Oz, in Sunderland.

Her mother, Tracey Boorman, said: "Lucy is very keen to perform in any way and checks nightly on the agency's website for new opportunities."

Lucy said she had really enjoyed recording for the show.

She said: "It is really good being in a TV show. I want to be an actress on the TV when I grow up."

The new series is made by Astley, Baker, Davies, and the company was so impressed with Lucy's professionalism that bosses invited her to audition again for more voice-over work.

Trudy Hindmarsh, the principal of Stagecoach Darlington, said: "Lucy is great. She is only seven but looks younger, so is very cute yet savvy. This is a successful combination when trying for parts.

"Lucy was very unlucky earlier this year when she got down to the last two for a big international TV advert.

"Failing at the last stage would have floored many children but not Lucy - still bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, she was looking out for the next opportunity."