A pupil from St John’s who attends Gale Force Theatre School has won a prestigious award.

Beth Colgan, aged 16, scored a 100 per cent distinction for her reading aloud and has been awarded the Jenny Seagrove Award.

Each year the New Era academy presents the award to the student who achieves the highest pass mark in their chosen subject.

This year’s winner was Beth who receives a certificate of excellence and trophy from New Era Examinations for her mark in reading aloud.

Students are required to read poetry selected from the New Era syllabus, read from a famous autobiography, read from sonnets written between 1800 and 1950, and read poetry and books chosen by the examiner on the day.

Barbara Gale, who set up the Douglas theatre school, said: ’We do our New Era exams in October each year so have to wait till the end of the academic year to see if any senior student has been nominated for an award.

’Not only was Beth nominated but out of the whole of the UK she won the Jenny Seagrove award.

’A truly magnificent achievement for a 16-year-old who also had to battle with GCSEs this year and illness of glandular fever.’

The award is named after Jenny Seagrove, the award-winning actress who is a member of the New Era board.

She is the partner to Bill Kenwright, who is also a board member, and the producer of some of the West End’s biggest musicals, as well as being chairman of Everton Football Club.