A SCHOOLGIRL from Bradford on Avon is starring in a new children’s TV drama after spending six weeks filming on a remote island.

Holly Bodimeade, 13, of Newtown, spent two months in New Zealand and six weeks on the tropical island of Rarotonga in the South Pacific filming for a 13-part CBBC series called Paradise Cafe.

Stonar School student Holly, who plays Megan, said: “It was so good. Filming under water was really good and it was different. It was cool being directed to go under water.

“It was just like being on holiday but having to work - it became so normal.”

The first episode of Paradise Cafe was broadcast on the CBBC satellite channel today at 5.15pm and is repeated every Sunday at 6pm.

In the show, Megan (Holly) and her brother Robbo decide to earn some extra pocket money by setting up a beachfront cafe serving smoothies after arriving on the island with their marine biologist father.

All goes well until their fledgling café business is suddenly plagued by legions of mischievous and unpredictable sea ghosts set free from the black, rotting coral at the bottom of the ocean.

Holly said: “It was fun to film. In every episode there were different types of ghosts. The actors had to sit in make-up for about two hours.

“My friends say they are looking forwards to watching it. They were very good and kept in touch with me when I was away to tell me what was going on.”

Holly had a tutor while on set to keep her up-to-date with all of her school work.

Holly previously starred in a CBBC series called Summerhill, a true story about the Suffolk boarding school where pupils are not forced to go to lessons and make up their own rules.

Holly started acting at school, where she has appeared in many school plays, and has also been in productions at the Theatre Royal and Mission Theatre in Bath.