A former student at Teignmouth Community College has been offered a place at one of the top accredited drama schools in the UK, writes Lindsey Sill.

Tracey Pickup, of Deer Park Road, will shortly be off to London to start a Masters Acting course at East 15 in London.

Tracey (right), 24, has only just come home after spending a year in New York, where she attended the Maggie Flanigan Acting Conservatory.

She said: 'This was a fantastic year of growth for me. Thanks to the intensive tuition, I have since been accepted into East 15 and feel ready to tackle the year with full gusto. I am truly ecstatic as drama has been a long-term passion of mine.'

Not for Tracey the world of musicals. She worships the cinema greats such as Marlon Brando and Robert de Niro.

'I want to do character acting. The truthful stuff you try to believe in. My ultimate ambition would be film but I love theatre as well.'

Tracey's acting career started with skits she used to put on with her sister at home. Before long she joined Tykes at the Carlton Theatre and was playing in James and the Giant Peach.

From there she graduated to the Teignmouth Players, where she played Celia in As You Like It. She was a member of the Devon Youth Theatre and performed in sketches about Devon at the Millennium Dome in front of the Queen. From there, she was accepted into the National Youth Theatre.

At school she won a drama award and went onto Bristol UWE University September 2007 and graduated with a first in drama and psychology.

While there she won the Bihlmeier prize for best overall performance, then won a scholarship to do a psychology masters in Plymouth.

'It allowed me to take the opportunity to audition for drama schools during the year.

'As a drama zealot, I hope to achieve as much training as possible, as any type of career in this field would make for a very happy life for me.'

Now Tracey is concentrating on how to find the money to meet the tuition fees of more than £10,000, not to mention living expenses.

'I'm trying to raise as much this summer as possible. I've got enough to put the deposit down. I'm just hoping throughout the year I can keep working.'

What she is really hoping is for a fairy godmother to help her achieve her dream.