A well-known teenage performer on the Sidmouth stage is celebrating landing her first major professional casting in a UK tour.

Hannah Thompson will play the role of Susan Walker in Miracle on 34th Street the Musical – and will undertake 82 performances on a tour that will take in 15 different venues.

Hannah, now in her final year of her musical theatre training at Italia Conti Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, is already in full rehearsal.

The tour will see her travel more than 3,000 miles – from Eastbourne to Glasgow - with the final shows being performed in Watford over Christmas.

Hannah, 18, received an email on a Monday to audition 24 hours later - and was offered the role after only 11 minutes after singing My New Philosophy, from You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, and reading a scene with another actor.

Hannah was last seen on the Manor Pavilion stage in February playing the roles of Eponine in Les Miserables, Glinda in Wicked and Elle in Legally Blonde in the 30-year celebration of Sidmouth Youth Theatre, founded and directed by her mum, Angela Davies.

“We are immensely proud of Hannah, who headed up to London to train at only 16 years old with a determination to perfect her craft and to succeed,” said Angela.

“She has never wavered from a desire to be the best she can be. For her to be offered this role, even before she has completed her training, will be an excellent start to building her professional CV and hopefully the start of a working career in the industry.

“We have booked to see it three times in three different locations and look forward to sharing her excitement. She is very aware that this will be hard work and, having helped her to arrange all her travel and accommodation, we are very aware her feet will not touch the ground.”

Hannah said: “I am really excited, but also apprehensive about the tour. I am the youngest in a cast of 15 and all of this process is very new to me. Every rehearsal is important as we only have three weeks to be show ready. Six days-a-week, eight hours-a-day and then the task of learning the lines in-between. I know I am quite petite, but it is still a challenge to portray a nine-year-old and be believable. So far the director is happy and I have acquired the nickname ‘Off-book Thompson’ because I learn my lines so quickly. I am learning more in this process than I do at college and it all feels alarmingly real. It has been lovely to get support from people in the town.”

Performance dates and venues can be found at www.uktw.co.uk.