SCHOOLBOY actor Alex George has been catapulted to fame after leaving Flintshire with his family for a new life in Australia.

Eight-year-old Alex, from Buckley, is set for stardom after landing a role in The Straits, a major new Australian TV show.

He headed Down Under at the end of 2009 with mum Alison, dad Chris and little brother Ryan, and now lives in Kewarra Beach, North Queensland.

Proud grandparents Les and Susan Peers, who live in Megs Lane, Buckley, said the move to Oz had been a huge success. We’re so very happy for them all. They are loving life out there and obviously we’re very proud of Alex,” said Les.

“He’s always been a little performer and loves acting.”

Alex, a former pupil at St John's Primary in Penymynydd, plays the role of Oliver in the 10-part series, which is currently in production.

Les said: “Our daughter Alison took Alex along to a local theatre club and the show’s producers got in touch out of the blue to say they needed a little boy.

“They went along for an audition and a screen test. There were lots of children at the audition but the producers were really impressed by Alex and offered him the part.”

The character played by Alex is a key figure in the show’s opening episode, according to Les.

“Alex actually gets kidnapped in the very first programme but I’m glad to say he makes a safe return later in the series,” he said.

“There were two parts up for grabs and the boy in the other role gets eaten by a crocodile so I think Alex had a little bit of a lucky escape. “One of the producers has put him forward for another role in a different show so things are going great.”

Les added that it was not only Alex who was enjoying life on Australia’s tropical north coast.

“Both Alison and Chris have found jobs and our three-year-old grandson Ryan is as happy as anything,” he said.

“My wife and I went out first of all for a holiday and it really is such a fantastic place.

Alison, Chris and the boys went out and loved it so much they decided to stay.”

The family are to make a return visit to North Wales next year for a family wedding.

Les and Sue will travel Down Under in 2013 to celebrate their daughter’s 40th birthday.

“We speak to them regularly and we are really pleased everything has worked out for them. They are very happy,” said Les.

The Straits is currently in production and will be broadcast next year on the ABC network. Described as a darkly humorous crime drama, the show follows a family of modern day smugglers and features power struggles, imprisonment, shoot outs and mobsters with Scottish actor Brian Cox playing the head of the family.