IT’S every school boy’s fantasy to represent his country at a World Cup and for one youngster from Basingstoke his dream is set to become a reality.

Joe Hubbard-Bateman, who attends Brighton Hill Community School, has been selected to represent England at this year’s Dance World Cup in Jersey.

fter submitting a video of two dances - one piece of ballet and a song and dance routine - to a specialist panel of judges, the North Hampshire Academy of Dance pupil was chosen to take to the stage for England in their bid for world glory.

“I was so surprised when I got told I was dancing for England,” Joe said.

“It’s exciting, scary and I am a bit nervous to represent England but it’s going to be amazing.

“I met one of the girls who is also competing at the competition and it just looks like there will be so many good dancers performing there.”

Across the seven-day event, which takes place in St Hellier and begins on June 25, more than 4,000 competitors from 38 countries will come together to battle on the dancefloor.

Entrants from Argentina, South Africa and Russia will compete with England to pick up a coveted medal for their country.

“When Joe found out he had been successful he was really happy,” Joe’s mum Carrie Hubbard-Bateman said.

“He was about eight and playing on a dance game for the wii and I thought he looked really good doing it so I asked if he wanted to go to lessons.

“Obviously he was a bit nervous at first but knew a friend who was going there and hasn’t looked back.”

Joe trains four times a week at the Basingstoke dance studio and takes part in around five to six competitions a year.

And the youngster has already had a flourishing career on the stage – notably as a member of the touring party for Jason Manford and Martin Kemp’s Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and with Keith Chegwin in Cinderella at The Anvil in 2014.

Now Carrie has her eyes set firmly on the top for her son. “He might become Basingstoke’s Billy Elliot.”