JESSICA Greenham beat competition from hundreds of applicants throughout the UK to be awarded a place at London's prestigious Sylvia Young Theatre School.

But now her single-parent mum has resorted to selling her house and is appealing for sponsorship in order to fund the £12,000 a year tuition and living costs.

Jessica is the second pupil from Maureen Headford's Stage Door School of Dance and Drama in Bournemouth to have successfully auditioned to join the drama school in September, despite there being just 15 places in her year.

Last week we reported that Isabella Sedgewick, 11, had also been selected.

Jess has been dancing at Stage Door, alongside Issy, for many years, studying ballet, tap, modern, spanish and drama, and they appeared in local pantomimes.

Last summer Jess played the lead role of Jemima in Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang at the Mayflower Theatre.

And she has successfully passed through all the rounds of auditions for a part in the West End show Billy Elliot and is now waiting to hear if she has been picked.

Mum, Mel, works full-time as a teaching assistant at Canford Heath Middle School - where Jess is a pupil, to support Jess and her elder sister Summer, 15.

She is determined to do everything possible to enable Jess to fulfil her dream.

She told the Echo: "Jess will not be able to go unless we get some sort of sponsorship. I'm trying to sell the house and downsizing but we will still need sponsorship. People will think I'm mental doing this but it's where Jess wants to be - she absolutely loved the school."

After playing the lead in Chitty, Jess - who also takes singing lessons locally with Rosemary Kaye - was on standby to go on tour with it to Singapore but grew just a touch too tall.

Mel has contacted everyone from her local MP to the borough council in her bid to find sponsorship but says: "Unless you are 16 or over, play truant, are a pregnant teenager or simply refuse to go to school, there's nothing they can do for you. People have been helpful but this council doesn't have money in the pot for talented children. As a single parent I can't get a loan. I'm working full time so cannot do any more except sell the house."

  • Anyone who might be able to advise or help Mel can contact her on 07876 687663.