A SCHOOLGIRL who previously swapped the streets of Wickford to the stage on Broadway is hoping to be crowned in a prestigious competition.

Lily Cross, nine, of Wickford, has been nominated in the solo dancer category in the South East Entertainment Awards.

A video of her challenging street performers in New York has been drumming up support for her on Facebook, with people encouraged to vote for her to get into the finals.

Dad Steve Cross said Lily has no idea how good she really is.

He said: “She has been dancing for the last four years and won crowns and titles so she is doing very well.

“She is quite grounded though.

“This weekend she won the Dance Person of the Decade award at Hayley’s School of Dance in Wickford, which is a one-off title.

“Everybody knows what she can do but she is just so grounded about it all.”

Lily, who also attends Oakfield Primary School, in Scott Drive, Wickford, started training at the dance school four years ago and has sessions there six times a week.

At Christmas she starred in the pantomime Aladdin at Basildon’s Towngate Theatre and last year she performed on Broadway with her classmates at Hayley’s School of Dance.

It was then she challenged street dancers to a dance battle in Times Square, drawing the crowds.

The South East Entertainment Awards aren’t the only awards Lily has been entered into this year.

She is also through to the finals of the Young Stars Awards.

Mr Cross said: “She really is just taking it all in her stride.

“If you ask her what she wants to do she will say she wants to go to dance school and then dance on Broadway.

“My wife was in Les Miserables at the West End and Lily tells her she’s going to be better than she was. My wife agrees.

“We are 100 per cent very proud of her. She just gets on with it.”

To vote for Lily in the South East Entertainment Awards, search for the group on Facebook and ‘like’ Lily’s picture.