FROM the town that spawned The Darkness and Lil' Chris, a new rock sensation is aiming to scale similar heights.After being chosen from more than 1,000 hopefuls, 11-year-old Reece Cook is hoping to hit the right notes as he has the chance to become Disney's next big star.

FROM the town that spawned The Darkness and Lil' Chris, a new rock sensation is aiming to scale similar heights.

After being chosen from more than 1,000 hopefuls, 11-year-old Reece Cook is hoping to hit the right notes as he has the chance to become Disney's next big star.

And all this week, the Lowestoft youngster has embarked on a real life Camp Rock experience - after making it through to the semi finals of a nationwide talent search.

Taking part in four days of rigorous rehearsing and performing with master classes from celebrity guests, under the tutelage of award-winning choreographer Gary Lloyd and celebrity vocal coach Zoe Tyler, the Gisleham Middle School pupil has made it into the latter stages of Disney Channel UK's brand new television talent contest.

The competition, called My Camp Rock, is inspired by the channel's smash-hit movie Camp Rock and has been open to youngsters from across the United Kingdom aged 11 to 16. My Camp Rock will see eight young solo artists or acts battle it out to win the chance to release their own version of a Camp Rock track.

The series will see the young solo artists or acts battling it out to reach the final. Just four acts will progress, with one eventually winning the chance to star in their own music video, singing a cover version of a track from Camp Rock.

With the Lowestoft youngster set to be on television every Friday in April, in true Camp Rock style the finalists will go head-to-head in a final jam on the channel, with viewers deciding the ultimate winner.

And as the only youngster from East Anglia to make it through to this week's boot camp in Essex, he is looking forward to progressing.

Speaking exclusively to The Journal, the former Sunrise Talent competitor first found out about the national talent search from his theatre school teacher Karen Cantor.

'I had to send in a video tape of me performing songs from the Camp Rock soundtrack, including This is Me and Here I Am,' he said. Singing and playing a guitar in the video, the youngster was shortlisted before his delighted parents received a telephone call from the Disney Channel telling them he had made it through.

'I feel very proud to have reached the semi-finals,' he said. 'I'm really excited to be going to the real life Camp Rock! 'I have seen the film more than ten times and my favourite part is when the Jonas Brothers perform.'

Admitting that he 'loves to sing and perform,' he is hopeful of following in the footsteps of his 'idols' the Jonas Brothers.

As stars of Camp Rock, platinum-selling recording artists the Jonas Brothers and leading actress Demi Lovato, took the UK by storm in September 2008 with 2.4 million viewers tuning in over its premiere weekend.

'Hopefully now I have the chance to get a little bit closer to my dream career of performing, which is what I've wanted to do for as long as I can remember,' he told The Journal.

At this month's boot camp, the youngster has been joined by Disney presenters JK and Joel as footage for the show has also been shot in his hometown. Andrew Olley, from the Disney Channel, told The Journal: 'Reece has the chance to become Disney's next big star and is the competition's youngest contestant.'

To find out who comes out on top, if Reece makes it though, and to vote for the act you want to win, watch My Camp Rock throughout April on Disney Channel.