THE future looks good for Southampton youngster Danielle Betteridge.

At just nine years of age Danielle, of Bishops Road, Itchen, is already a regular fixture on the local amateur dramatics circuit. Her hard work and talent resulted in her being nominated for the Best Newcomer award at this year's Daily Echo Curtain Call Awards.

Her portrayal of Adele in the Dalian Players' production of Jane Eyre wowed the judges so much that she became the youngest person ever to have received a nomination for a prestigious Curtain Call award.

The fact that most of her lines were in French, or had to be spoken with a French accent, makes her performance all the more impressive. Sadly the young actress, pictured above and top, could not attend the star-studded awards ceremony as, of course, she was performing in a pantomime that night.

She said: "I had to wait for ages to find out if I had won or not. When I found out that I hadn't, I didn't mind because I was very proud of myself for getting nominated in the first place. I also got a certificate."

Danielle, who attends Charlton House School in Bitterne, began acting at the tender age of seven when she appeared in her first pantomime, The Pied Piper. Since then she has appeared in numerous Eastleigh Borough Youth Theatre productions.

"I enjoy acting and performing and I find it a lot of fun," says Danielle.

"I'm looking forward to appearing in A Midsummer Night's Dream next."