The young hopefuls travelled to Devon from around the country

The studio behind Lord of the Rings has launched a nationwide casting search for the female lead in its new feature film The Golden Compass.

The role is Lyra Belacqua, the heroine of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy of stories.

Girls aged between nine and 13, travelled to Exeter from around the country to audition on Thursday.

Mischievous nature

The story revolves around Lyra who makes an epic journey to save her best friend, encountering shape-shifters and witches along the way.

Film-makers are looking for a girl "who embodies Lyra's loyalty, bravery and mischievous nature" and who is not "immersed in the 21st Century".

Aimee Bant, who travelled from east Yorkshire, was hopeful it would not be a wasted journey.

She said: "Lyra's quite adventurous and I am too - and quite mysterious."

Open auditions are also due to take place in Oxford, Cambridge and Kendal and a small number of successful girls will be asked to attend a second interview.

The film could be released in September 2007 and if The Golden Compass is a box-office success, two sequels, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass, appear likely to be given the go-ahead.