Tom Hanks, Robert Downey Jnr and Matthew Lewis who played Neville Longbottom in Harry Potter, all began acting when they were five years old.

Swindon Youth Theate is launching a new drama class aimed at youngsters aged five and six years old. The idea behind the classes is to build confidence, help the young ones to express themselves and open doors to their creativity.

The classes will be held on Monday evenings, beginning on September 15. They will be based around a format of themed workshops, exercises and games. Aaron Parsons from Sixth Sense Theatre will be running the new classes. Aaron trained as a theatre director at Bristol Old Vic.

He said: “We are delighted to now be able to work with children as young as five, through out youth theatre. There is so much scope for children of this age to stretch their imaginations and make new friends.’’ Sixth Sense Theatre for Young People, based at the Wyvern, runs Swindon Youth Theatre. All classes are for those with a passion for acting and they are open to members of mixed ability.

Aaron said: “ It always amazes me how through experimenting with words, action and feelings in a safe, fun and encouraging environment, children’s language and communication skills seem to develop really quickly.’’ For more details of the new drama class visit www.sixthsensetyp.co.uk