Royal appointment for apprentice Ben

A THORNABY teenager has been accepted into an elite apprenticeship which will see him work in London’s Royal Opera House.

- By ABIGAIL NICHOLSON

Learning the skills of your trade at famous Covent Garden theatre has got to be the dream for any aspiring theatre technician.

That's about to become the reality for Ben Hillary, an 18-year-old Bede Sixth Form College student who picked up his results on Thursday, August 14.

The music tech enthusiast has been selected from more than 300 applicants to train as a creative venue technician apprentice at the famous theatre in Covent Garden.

Ben said: “When they rang to say I had got it, it was a massive shock. I submitted my CV online but didn’t think I would get it.”