Joel Kern founder of Make Believe Group Talent Competition

A talent competition put by intu Milton Keynes and Make Believe Group at the weekend crowned local children Rio Pinnock, 10, from Aylesbury, and Savannah Rajah, 12, from Leighton Buzzard, as the winners.

The pair have won £500 each as well as the opportunity to join Make Believe, the UK’s leading children’s international performance arts school, which brought its talent-finding platform – One Dream – to Milton Keynes.

The regional competition has involved hundreds of hopeful children competing in singing and dancing auditions over recent months. Thirty-three local children made it to the finals across the junior (6-11) and senior categories (12+), with many of them performing at the intu Milton Keynes Christmas Lights Switch On on Saturday.

Shelley Peppard, centre director of intu Milton Keynes, said: “Congratulations to both our little winners – we wish you all the best in becoming the stars of the future! The standard was so high, and the judges were so impressed. Thank you to everyone who entered, and especially to those who performed at the lights switch on at the weekend! By putting on compelling events like this, we add a little something extra to the shopping experience, and help our retailers to flourish too!”

The winners of previous competitions have gone on to star in West End shows including On Your Feet and School of Rock.

Joel Kern, Make Believe Founder and Managing Director, judged the auditions alongside leading talent agent Eilidh McCole. He said: “The contestants were amazing! It was the best one we have ever done and the feedback was incredible! Thank you so much to everyone who entered, and to the team at intu Milton Keynes for a brilliant job hosting. When I launched Make Believe in 2004, I wanted to make theatre and performing arts more accessible to young people from all communities and this competition opens those doors.”

One Dream helps to discover talent in children and provides them with an outlet to use energy and hone interpersonal and life skills, such as confidence and communication. By teaming up with shopping centres, hundreds of children are able to register to audition at each One Dream event.