SALE teenager Nina Warhurst was involved in a serious road accident last month and she didn't feel a thing.

That's because the incident in question was only make believe - part of the storyline for this year's Casualty Christmas special.

Nina, a sixth former at St Bede's College, landed the part after attending an open audition in Manchester. She took three weeks off school to film the crash, staged on an airfield runway in Swindon, the scenes before disaster struck and those in Holby General, Britain's most famous hospital.

The 17 year old admits she had a few butterflies before filming started but she told What's On and Leisure: "At first I was very nervous but all the cast and crew were very friendly and helpful."

Once filming was over Nina had the chance to socialise with the show's stars and she got on well with the actors who played Dr George and Josh the paramedic.

Nina, who started acting in Sale Nomads pantomimes, can be seen on the small screen again on February 14 when she appears in a Valentine's Day edition of Heartbeat. She plays one of three friends who are stalked on their way to a Valentine's dance.

"It was great fun. The first night away the other two girls and I were given a hotel room together so we had to get on, but we did.

"We had to use Yorkshire accents for the part - one of the girls was from Halifax so we spent a lot of time talking to her."

Despite her flirtation with fame Nina hasn't become starstruck and plans to spend the next year studying for her A levels in English lit, history and politics.

"My education is really important. I don't know if I'll go to acting school because it's so insecure."

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