NOEL Coward's advice to Mrs Worthington not to put her daughter "on the stage" obviously fell on deaf ears in Oxford on Saturday.

More than 500 children and their parents queued for hours at the Old Fire Station Cafe Bar in Gloucester Green in the hope of being given a chance to perform on a professional stage.

The crowd of hopefuls rushed to join auditions for 200 parts in the Oxford production of the show High School Musical , this year's youth project for the New Theatre in George Street.

The show is being staged in July.

Pictured queuing up are, from left, Amy Tuffs, 16; Kieran Meekison, ten; Ashley Reynolds, ten; Jake Woods, ten; Thomas Squires, 11; Bethany Church, 11, and Hannah Scott, 15, from ADDABS Theatre group in Witney.

Kerry Arnold, project co-ordinator, said: "We're very pleased with the response we've had."

Gina Gibbs, from Northway, Headington, was waiting outside to hear how daughter Sophia, 11, a pupil at Larkrise Primary School, had got on. She said: "I haven't pushed her - it was something she just wanted to do."