A FORMER Hanley Castle High School pupil is hoping to hit the high spots on the London comedy circuit.

Geoffrey Mills, aged 22, of Malvern, is off to try his luck in the capital after a successful summer up in Edinburgh.

He and comedy partner Tim Wellburn were hosting coverage of the Edinburgh Festival for Scottish Cable Television 004 from a stage on Princes Street Gardens.

Their broadcasts were also transmitted over the Internet and to a large screen in Covent Garden.

Geoffrey, who graduated last year from Reading University studying English literature, has been interested in drama and comedy since his teenage years. In fact, his first stand-up gig was at a holiday camp when he was 13.

He is also appeared in various productions at Malvern Festival Theatre and the Swan in Worcester.

Geoffrey, whose comic heroes are Steve Coogan and Stephen Fry, wants to develop his talents in both drama and comedy, and he has got an agent who is working to secure him London gigs.

He said: "At the moment we're just talking about smaller venues, but who knows what will happen?

"We're developing an experimental comedy piece, provisionally entitled Bouncing Babies, which will be a mix of scripted work and improvisation."

He is also looking to the future as well. Having presented the Edinburgh Festival this year, he hopes to be performing in it next year.

He has entered himself in for the Daily Telegraph Comedy Awards.