AN ASPIRING teen actress will be swapping village life in Northumberland for the Big Apple.

Abbey Tilley, 17, been accepted onto a full-time, two year conservatory programme at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. Its former students include the icons Lauren Bacall, Paul Rudd, Robert Redford and Anne Hathaway.

Abbey, from Birtley, said: "I’m equal parts terrified and ecstatic to be moving to New York. Considering I currently live in a tiny village and have never lived in a city I’m sure it will be a big adjustment - however the fact I’ve been accepted to AADA is an amazing incentive to move."

A former pupil of Queen Elizabeth High School in Hexham, she moved to the Royal Grammar School in Newcastle for her A Levels.

"I wanted to go to this school specifically because of its fantastic legacy: the alumni is absolutely phenomenal including Grace Kelly, Anne Hathaway, and Paul Rudd. Also this was the only school out of all the drama schools I researched that felt like the best fit for me which I feel is important so I can make the most out of training," she said.

Her challenging audition was followed by a lengthy interview to pass the Academy's infamously difficult qualifying process.

Due to being 17, Abbey will not fly to Manhattan until she turns 18 but will experience her first taste of stardom when she attends a summer school at the Academy.

Her interim year will be spent fundraising to meet the costs of big city life in Manhattan. Abbey said: "I am looking for a job but any offers of sponsorship would be warmly received.

"I hope to be able to use the training I’ll receive at AADA to build a career for myself as an actress and performer on stage and screen as well as meeting incredible people on the way but for now I’m just completely grateful to everyone who helped me achieve my goal of being accepted in the first place."

Her mother Rachel Tilley said: "We are absolutely bursting with pride. Abbey has worked and pushed herself so hard to do this."