Bradford-trained Emma Williams was acclaimed last night after her stage debut in the new West End smash Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

The 18-year-old newcomer, a former pupil of Stage 84 drama school in Idle, landed one of the starring roles playing Truly Scrumptious in the production at the London Palladium.

And she and the rest of the cast received a standing ovation from the star-studded audience which included Bond star Pierce Brosnan and Oscar winner Halle Berry.

At a cost of £6.2m to stage, the show is the most expensive British production ever seen in the West End.

But it had already taken more than £2m by last December and is sold out until the end of the current booking season.

Singing star Michael Ball stars as Caractacus Potts with Richard O'Brien as the evil child catcher.

Emma's parents, Joan and Gordon Williams, who travelled from their Halifax home for the show, said they were proud of the way she was handling fame.

Mrs Williams said: "She has been taking it all in her stride, it is the biggest role she has played but like every other role she is part of a team."

Mr Williams added: "Her aim in life has been to perform as it is the thing she really enjoys and she loves a live audience."

Stage 84 principal Valerie Jackson said she knew from the start that Emma had star quality. She said: "The first night she came to us I asked her if she would sing and she stood up and sang a song from 42nd Street in front of about 50 students."

Michael Ball broke theatrical tradition after the final encore when he made a speech thanking the audience. He told them the musical had been in the cast's hearts from the moment they had first seen the film.

"We still adore it today," said Mr Ball, who paid tribute to the musical's writers, Dick and Robert Sherman.

Mr Ball has taken on the part played by Dick Van Dyke in the 1968 film. Members of the cast of the film, headed by Sally Anne Howe, were brought on to the stage at the curtain call.

Last night's effects as the car left the stage to soar over the audience made visual history even for the London Palladium.

"It has been an unbelievable challenge," said producer Michael Rose. "In the original movie there were six cars to do all the different things Chitty has to - including normal driving, adapting to be a hovercraft and flying. Creating the illusion is the major event of the show, when Chitty flies above the audience you believe it."