A BOLTON schoolboy's dream of landing one ofthe most coveted film roles in history has been dashed.

Dale Peters was hoping to impress Hollywood movie moguls into letting him play wizard Harry Potter in the forthcoming film Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

But Warner Bros, which is producing the film based on one of cult author JK Rowling's children's books, announced yesterday that it has cast 11-year-old boy Daniel Radcliffe in the role.

Little Lever High School pupil Dale, aged 13, had sent in an audition tape and was hoping he could show a touch of magic to beat off opposition to win the role of wizard.

But despite the bad news, his mum Jill said he is not too disappointed - because he has just finished filming a starring role on the small screen... in a TV commercial.

Dale, of Ullswater Close, spent four days in London last week starring in an advert to launch the new Dairylea Lunchable Pizza.

It is due to be screened towards the end of next month. The schoolboy only started acting just over a year ago but already he has appeared in the TV drama Where the Heart Is.

Jill told how she and Dale were treated "like royalty" while filming the Dairylea commercial, staying in a top London hotel and being chauffeured everywhere.

Dale even had his hair cut by footballer David Beckham's stylist.

She said: "He really, really enjoyed it."

Producers of the adverts were so delighted with Dale's performance that they gave him a gift of a micro-scooter when he finished.

And although it will soon be back to his school studies Dale is hoping his television appearances will eventually lead to film work.

The choice of Daniel for the role of Harry Potter, who appeared in a BBC adaptation of David Copperfield, is a victory for the book's millionaire author, who was pushing for a British child to play the part.

Warner Bros were thought to have favoured choosing an American youngster.

British newcomers Robert Grint and Emma Watson have also been chosen to play Harry's friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.

Director Chris Columbus said: "We saw so many enormously talented kids in the search for Harry.

"Then Dan walked into the room and we all knew we had found Harry."