A BUDDING Margot Fonteyn from St Helens has spun into one of just three coveted places for UK dancers at the prestigious Royal Ballet Upper School in London just a few days after learning that she had achieved an astonishing ten grade A* GCSE passes.

Sinead Boughey (16) from Bowdon Close, Eccleston has been dancing since she was eight and is a member of the Elizabeth Hill School in Greenfield Road, Dentons Green.

Last year Sinead became, at 14, one of the youngest ever winners of the Stella Mann Award which is awarded for excellence in ballet. Later that year, she also gained honours which resulted in her achieving the highest marks in the Pre-Elementary, Elementary and Intermediate section of RAD Ballet. A former pupil of Rainford High where she has just gained 10 A* passes at GCSE level, Sinead has now proved her talent even further by gaining a place at one of the country's top ballet schools.

Rainford High's headteacher, Brian Arnold said: "Naturally we are all delighted with Sinead's outstanding examination results -- a well deserved reward for an able and hard working student who has accepted all her success with typical modesty.

"I am sure she has an exciting future in ballet and we wish her every success at the Royal Ballet School."

Elizabeth Hill added: "Sinead is a wonderful dancer and has a very exciting talent. The majority of places at the Royal Ballet's Upper School go to their juniors with other places set aside for international dancers but they always offer just three places to outsiders from the UK and Sinead has won one of these places. She already had reason to be proud after gaining such excellent GCSE results but this is even better for her."

Mum, Clare added: "Sinead has done really well and we are particularly proud of her exam results because her studies were occasionally interrupted when she had ballet rehearsals and performances. She lives for her dancing but it means that she has a good academic grounding to fall back on as well and all the family are proud of her."

Sinead is now preparing to begin the three year course at the £2,000 a year Royal Ballet Upper School and any local businesses wishing to offer her sponsorship or funding to help cover her maintenance costs can contact Clare Boughey on (01744) 21329.