Young singer's pride in his solo for real-life Lion King

A London teenager is set to feature in the latest Disney blockbuster, which is being hailed as the "real-life Lion King".

Classical singer Charles Sladdin has been chosen for a solo during a poignant moment in the film African Cats, which is narrated by Samuel L Jackson.

Charles, 13, said: "When I grow up I want to be an opera singer, so this has given me great prospects." The Disneynature film tells the story of a lion family and a cheetah family using real-life footage and comes out in the UK in February.

Andrew Carwood, director of music at St Paul's Cathedral, where Charles trained as a chorister, was asked to select someone for the role. Charles now has a music scholarship at Whitgift School in South Croydon.