A YOUNG boy dancer is to train at the prestigious Hammond School in Chester.

Eleven-year-old Ryan Hamer begins his tuition in performing arts alongside his academic studies this month.

He will study ballet, tap, modern dance and voice, alongside other subjects, at the boarding school over the next five years.

Ryan has been a pupil of Janet Horsfall at the Armitage Bridge-based Huddersfield School of Theatre Dance for four years, starting his dancing career relatively late on.

He lives with his family in Netherthong and went to the village's primary school.

Ryan successfully auditioned for the place at the Hammond School before Christmas.

He will be among only 20 other young dancers from across the world who begin the first year of their studies at the school this term.

Last May Ryan danced with the Yorkshire Youth Ballet in a production of the Nutcracker Suite at Bradford's Alhambra Theatre. He has also been to a summer school with the Royal Ballet in London this year.