A FENLAND actor has starred in an award-winning short film, featured in commercials for global companies and landed a role in a top pantomime - all before his 11th birthday.

Nehemiah Goodridge, 10, of Doddington, continued his leap towards stardom when he pipped hundreds of other young hopefuls to secure a role as a ‘panto babe’ in Cambridge Arts Theatre’s production of Cinderella.

The youngster, who began attending stage school when he was five, has starred in adverts for companies such as Sky, Nike, Sainsbury’s, Vauxhall and children’s television channel Nickelodeon.

He also played a leading role in the short film Little White Lies, which won the Best Independent Film at the 2011 Media and Innovation Awards and travelled as far as the Paris Film Festival.

Nehemiah’s mum Maureen said: “My husband and I are incredibly proud of him. Sometimes he’s not even aware of his own talent. I think he’s got that star quality but I would because I’m his mum!

“It was such a strong field of children for the pantomime and they were all amazing. He got recalled for the second day of auditions and then we heard he’d got it.

“It’s great because he will have the opportunity to work with people who have been involved in West End shows.”

Nehemiah, whose acting inspirations include Will Smith, has also performed in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.

Mrs Goodridge said: “It’s quite surreal seeing your son on the big stage and on television. Lots of people recognised him in one of the Nickelodeon adverts because it was on during the break of X Factor!

“He’s quite relaxed about it because he just enjoys it. It’s every child’s dream to be on the television but he’s really doing it.”

• Cambridge Arts Theatre’s production of Cinderella, starring soul legend Sheila Ferguson, runs from December 8 to January 15. For tickets call the box office on 01223 503333 or visit www.cambridgeartstheatre.com