A stage school is giving budding actors a helping hand in their mission to tread the boards by gifting them with free scholarships.

Top Hat, of St Albans, gave three Harpenden and three St Albans children scholarships at the school worth £5,400 to pursue their passion for performing.

Previous students who have been awarded the lessons have gone on to appear in West End musicals such as the Lion King and Billy Elliot and a number of blockbuster movies.

Principal Warren Bacci says: “We started our scholarship programme to give children whose families can’t afford for them to attend a part-time stage school the opportunity to get involved in performing.”