Pony to go on Britain's Got Talent

Star the pony

Her name is Star - but her hooves are firmly on the ground when it

comes to getting ready for a big audition.

For the 15-year-old pony is vying to join the ranks of Susan Boyle, Stavros Flatley and Diversity by becoming an act on prime-time television show Britain's Got Talent.

But, unlike some contenders, she is not going to make an ass of herself by singing, dancing or horsing around.

This one-trick pony's claim to fame is that she can count.

Her skill has already been showcased to thousands of visitors to a Norfolk tourist attraction over the years. Star's party piece normally takes place at the Hillside Animal Sanctuary, successor to the Norfolk Shire Horse Centre, at West Runton.

Trainer David Bakewell asks audience members for numbers for Star to do simple sums - adding, taking away and two times tables - which she answers by pawing the ground with her hoof.

She is one of the best in her field, But, having got past some early video vetting on the talent show trail, Star is now destined to step out into the stage spotlight in Birmingham soon in front of judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan.

Her support team wanted to make quite sure that she was happy with the theatrical surroundings before they comm-itted her to the big moment early next month.

They need not have worried: a trial run at Sheringham Little Theatre in front of a rent-a-crowd of cheering fans, and in the blaze of stage lighting, saw Star sailing through her sums with ease.

She was even reluctant to leave the stage at the end, until tempted by a carrot to lure her to the stage door, where her transport was waiting - not a stretch limo but a Jeep-drawn horsebox.

Mr Bakewell said: "Star has been performing for 10 years, but the chance to go on television was a chance to showcase her skills and the welfare work of Hillside."

The sanctuary has 1,000 animals at West Runton and Frettenham.

Little Theatre artistic director Debbie Thompson said: "The biggest animal that has ever been on the stage was a small dog in a Wizard of Oz panto; but the most important thing was to make sure performing animals were not distressed."

Star, who wore diva-like pink reins and bridle, left her mark, however... which was duly mopped and shovelled up swiftly.