A TEENAGER has won a prestigious theatre role after beating more than 700 other hopefuls.

Jack Speck, 13, who goes to Tendring Technology College’s Thorpe campus, was cast in a top production of Lord of the Flies, which will run at the Norwich Theatre Royal.

More than 750 youngsters from across East Anglia auditioned for the show.

But Jack, of Kirby, held his nerve and was one of 22 chosen for the cast.

He starts auditions this month and the show will open in November.

Jack said: “I took part in a couple of workshops at school and I was picked to learn an audition dance and go up to Norwich. We had to dance in front of a judge, then they called some people back for the second day of auditions. It was pretty tense.

“On the way home after the second day, I got a phone call saying I’d been picked.

“It was amazing. It took some time to sink in. There were so many people there and I thought they were all better than me.

“I’m a bit nervous about getting started, but really excited too.”

Jack added: “I’ve always been interested in performing. When I first came to secondary school, I didn’t have the confidence to do it, but gradually I got more comfortable with it.

“This is a dream come true.”

Jack also now attends Frinton’s school Stagestruck Academy.