AFTER completing their GCSEs most 16 year olds would be revelling in the chance to kick back on their long summer holiday.

Not so Ilminster teenager Chris Grabham, who has been working his socks off to turn a popular fantasy horror novel into an empowering 57-song musical based on author Anthony Horowitz’s book Raven’s Gate.

He said: “Split into two acts, it’s a rock-opera, and it must be one of the biggest – I’ve not found anything bigger. I got all the rights from Anthony’s agents and, because of exams, the performance date kept being pushed back.

"But we’re now at the stage where we are ready to showcase 16 songs of it to the public. The cast is all girls and we also have a live band of students ranging from year nine up to year 11. It has taken up so much of my time, really, and it’s good fun when you get into it.”

Chris, who attended Bishop Fox’s School in Taunton, has enlisted his fellow just graduated year 11s for the cast of Ravensgate: The Musical.

It is being performed in honour of the Think Amy! road safety charity, set up in memory of fellow pupil Amy Hofmeister.

Chris and the cast showcased an hour-long section of the show to the public today (July 8).

He said: “We hope to raise a bit of money for the charity – in a couple of years I’m hoping it will be a far more professional operation. But we hope it will help.”