It could have been a scene from Pop Idol as hundreds of young hopefuls queued around the block waiting for their chance to shine.

The girls who lined the pavement outside Winchester's theatre Royal were hoping to land the title role in an amateur production of the musical Annie.

The STP Theatre Company made an appeal through the Daily Echo for young actresses to take the starring part in the classic musical about a spirited red-headed American orphan.

Producers of the show, which comes to the theatre in the spring, were over-whelmed by the response yesterday.

For more pictures and to find out which lucky girl won the part, see What's On in the Daily Echo this Friday.