A young actor with dreams of treading the boards of the West End says he is delighted to have been accepted into a prestigious theatre company.

Pinner teenager Archuna Ananthamohan was inspired to try for the National Youth Theatre after reading a story in the Harrow Times three years ago.

After an audition in April this year, he found out he had made it and is now looking forward to a two-week induction course in the summer.

The 15-year-old said: “I remember reading about the National Youth Theatre in the paper a few years ago and even then it had inspired me.

“Ever since I was younger and visited the theatre with my primary school I started to get into drama. When I got to secondary school I really started to fall in love with theatre.”

More than 5,000 children and teenagers auditioned for the National Youth Theatre at centres across the county, with each having to perform a monologue, take part in a team workshop and an interview.

Mr Ananthamohan a pupil at Haberdashers Boys School, in Aldenham: “I honestly didn’t think I would stand a chance of getting in.

“The competition on the day was so tough and people who had tried in the past told me how hard it was to get on your first audition.

“But when I was told I was in I couldn’t believe it. I so delighted and I’m really excited about the possibilities ahead. My family were really supportive and are very proud of me told me to just go for it.”

By making it into the National Youth Theatre, the young thespian will now be able to audition for West End Shows and productions by the company itself.

The National Youth Theatre was established in 1956 as one of the first in the world and its alumni include Daniel Day-Lewis, Dame Helen Mirren, Daniel Craig, Sir Derek Jacobi and Colin Firth.