A CHILTON Trinity student has a bright future in stage lighting after mixing with masters of the craft working on the Disney classic, The Lion King.

Ryan Searle, 15, has been learning tips from Donald Holder, the award-winning lead lighting designer for the Lion King worldwide, and other members of the crew after a chance meeting while watching the show.

He has also had invaluable support from Hugh Sweeney, now the associate sound engineer worldwide for The Lion King.

He has since been on work experience with The Lion King's sound and lighting backstage crew in Bristol where people just assumed he was part of the team.

Now he is training up teenagers at Chilton Trinity to take over his sound and lighting work at the school when he leaves in June to study production arts at Bridgwater College.

Ryan said: "This really has been a dream come true. My work experience has helped me learn tips from some of the best in my field across the world and now that's what I want to do when I finish education.

My ambition is to be touring all over the world designing the lighting for various shows.”

He added: "On my Lion King experience, I spent one show on the sound desk and then the other show backstage with the crew. It was such an incredible experience and even some of the cast thought I was one of the crew!”

Ryan is also part of the lighting and special effects crew for the Bridgwater Carnival Concerts.