YOUNG actress Ellie Robbins was already tipped for the top when she won an international movie award last year.

But the 16-year-old from Yarnton is not resting on her laurels and has won a place in the regional finals of a national singing contest.

Ellie has appeared in shows at Oxford’s New Theatre and Oxford Playhouse and won the Young Cuts Best Actress award at the Montreal Film festival for her role in Tomboy.

Now she is aiming to prove her vocal talents are a match for her acting ability in Open Mic UK.

Ellie said: “I’m really excited about the finals. I really want to be an actress or a singer, so I’m just trying to do a bit of everything.”

More than 10,000 hopefuls entered the competition. Ellie is one of 20 hopefuls in the under-18 category bidding for a place in the grand final.

If she wins the whole competition, she will get the chance to record her own album in a professional studio.

An Open Mic UK spokesman said: “Ellie Robbins has wowed the panel and now has an opportunity to prove she is one of the best in the region.”