A BOY aged seven suffers an asthma attack and falls into a river polluted with toxic sheep dip.

The young schoolboy, Jack Horsefield, is plucked to safety by his father who jumps into the murky water and rushes him to hospital for treatment.

The boy was then treated in the hospital's intensive care unit where tests confirmed he had been poisoned.

Thankfully, the drama on this occasion was not a real life tragedy, but a role budding young Bolton actor Matthew King played as he made his TV debut in the popular ITV series, Peak Practice.

Matthew, aged seven, of Wellington Road, Turton -- who ironically suffered asthma attacks as a baby -- was chosen for the part of Jack after impressing judges in an audition.

Matthew, who attends Egerton Primary School and drama classes at Carol Godby's Acting Workshop in Bury, will also appear in the BBC1 soap The Doctors next month. He filmed in the Peak District for five days and the Peak Practice episode was screened on March 15.

Mum Hilary said: "Peak Practice was the biggest thing he has done. He loved it and all the actors were fantastic to him. It was quite dramatic and people have asked me whether it upset me when I watched it. It did look very realistic but I enjoyed it and he was excellent."

Matthew will appear in The Doctors on April 17.