A SCHOOLBOY singer and songwriter from Skipton is set to have a dream come true when he takes to the stage to win a place to play at one of the country's major music festivals.

Ermysted's Grammar School pupil Lucas Watt has won a place at the Centre Stage final at Leeds' 2,300-capacity O2 Academy for a chance to play on the Leeds and Reading Festivals' 'Introducing' stage later in the year.

He won through to the final in competition with bands from across Yorkshire in heats over the Easter weekend at the Belgrave Music Hall in Leeds.

The Centre Stage contest is run by Leeds children's hospice Martin House, with the final held at the O2 Academy on July 20, and Lucas is also raising cash for the hospice.

He said: "It has been a dream of mine to play at the O2 Academy where I have seen many of my own favourite bands, like Catfish and the Bottlemen and Blossoms, and now I have the chance to play there in addition to having the possibility of playing at the Leeds and Reading Festival."

He is normally a solo performer, but for the competition heats enlisted the help of local musicians Will Smith, Danny Sapko, Ben Rothwell and Isabelle Wood.

Donations can be made at //www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lucaswatt.