A host of wannabee stars of the stage have auditioned for the part of Belle in the forthcoming Hastleons production of the Disney classic, but so far none have been up to scratch.

And the group now faces a race against time to find a local lovely to fill the casting gap before the show's scheduled performance date at the White Rock Theatre this coming May.

A spokesman for Hastleons told the Observer: "Everything's ready, apart from this one vital element.Many girls have auditioned, but none have had the blend of attributes our director's looking for. So now we're on a quest to find the right girl."

In the musicalBelle is a bookworm who needs something more exciting than her provincial life. She eventually falls in love with the Beast, finding the kind-hearted human inside.

But what sort of person are they looking for? "She should be female (obviously) and when on stage to appear to be between 18 and 25 years of age," explained the spokesman. "She should have an effortless air of elegance, and, according to the casting sheet, should be of slender build, and preferably not be taller than five feet eight inches as we need to see a good contrast between her and the Beast.

"We require a good singing voice, in the light soprano range (from G below C up to E) and whoever plays Belle will be required to waltz with the Beast."

The Hastleons are now hoping that, in a town of more than 85,000, there must be at least one Belle of the ball waiting to be discovered.

The group is now holding open auditions for the part from 12noon at the Hastleon Hall in Bexhill Road on Sunday, February 7.Anyone who wants to audition should ring Liz Miller before Wednesday on 01323 416121.

Do you know anyone perfect for the part? Let us know.