A DRAMA academy which operates around the world is making an entrance in Wyre Forest to give budding thespians the chance to shine on stage and screen.

The Helen O'Grady Drama Academy is setting up a studio at Cookley First School in April and is hoping to attract about 40 children to its weekly sessions promoting "development through drama."

And if the Cookley studio - the 13th in the West Midlands - proves to be a success the group is thinking of setting up another to plug what it sees as a gap in the Wyre Forest market.

"Up to now people haven't had the chance to do this so we are excited about being able to move into the Kidderminster area," said West Midlands principal Phil Hayward-Needs.

He added: "Our basis is fun - kids have to have fun. We give children self-confidence to speak to people, especially when they get to the age of doing interviews."

The worldwide academy was started in Australia 20 years ago by its eponymous founder and former soap-star and Mr Hayward-Needs, 52, of Halesowen, has himself starred in the West End production of Evita and alongside Roger Moore in The Saint as a child.

The academy does a range of exercises with its students. "We help to get their voices louder and clearer - it's elocution without the kids knowing it. We also do time signatures, teaching them how many beats there are in a bar, and co-ordination.

"And every week we do creative improvised drama. We take scripts and snippets and pass them on to the children who act the whole thing out," he added.

The academy is looking for prospective students between five and 12 to join in this year's production in the Cornbow Theatre, Halesowen.

For further information contact Mr Hayward-Needs on 0121 602 2233.