A CIRENCESTER student has realised her lifelong dream of earning a place at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).

Daisy-May Cooper, 20, of Chesterton Lane, will be followingin the footsteps of the most celebrated actors in the world who trained at RADA including Joan Collins, Oscar-winning MP Glenda Jackson, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Kenneth Branagh and RADA president Lord Attenborough.

Daisy, who was one of 34 people out of over 2,000 to be offered a place, said: "Ever since I was little I wanted to be an actor and I have been auditioning for RADA for a few years now."

Daisy has been involved in the theatre since the age of 10 and even performed a Shakespeare piece in front of thousands at the Cheltenham Festival.

The talented actress has been involved with stand-up comedy in the last few months and has performed gigs at the Laughing Horse in Wimbledon and Monkey Business in Camden Town, London.

After her time at RADA she hopes to go into either the theatre or comedy.

She said: "The auditions were really tough and there were four stages to get through. I even changed my audition piece at the last minute because I thought it was better than my original idea and they told me it was fantastic."

Daisy is now on a fundraising mission to pay for her expensive living costs while she is in London.

Registrar at RADA Patricia Myers said: "I urge anyone who is in a position to offer financial assistance to this talented local young woman to do so in the knowledge that they are investing in the theatre of the future."