A SCHOOLGIRL’S dream of heading to Hollywood and working alongside A-list stars has received a cash boost.

Ellie Farish has dreamed of becoming an actress and a singer since she was just a toddler.

A fundraiser was held on September 24 in Dunbar to help the 11-year-old, who plans to go to the USA at the start of 2017 after impressing at an audition in Edinburgh earlier this year.

A tombola, cake stall, glitter tattoos and face-painting helped the youngster raise more than £500 at the fundraiser, which was held at the town’s Masonic Hall.

Her mum, Susan, is hoping to arrange further events, with the trip across the Atlantic expected to cost in the region of £2,000.

She was slightly disappointed with the turnout at the event but felt those who did come had a good time and she was already looking at the possibility of a Hallowe’en disco.

A local magician has also pledged to give a show free of charge, with Ellie planning to sing as well.

The Dunbar Grammar School pupil caught the eye of judges at an audition at Edinburgh’s Roxburghe Hotel through Celebrity Experience.

Ellie had to read the script for an advert and fought off competition from more than 200 other people to be one of the 20 picked out by the judges.

Then came a phone call later that week, with the family invited back to the Capital before being told that they would be flying out to America in the New Year.

Susan had previously told the Courier: “She has been interested in acting pretty much as long as she has been speaking.

“She has always done little things and she auditioned for Britain’s Got Talent two years, coming up for three years, ago. That was her first ever audition and they were blown away with her.”

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