STARSTRUCK Macauley Elvin is one step closer to fulfilling his dream of becoming a pop star.The Ipswich seven-year-old took to the stage with pop band Phixx and sang before a celebrity-packed audience.

STARSTRUCK Macauley Elvin is one step closer to fulfilling his dream of becoming a pop star.

The Ipswich seven-year-old took to the stage with pop band Phixx and sang before a celebrity-packed audience.

Macauley - who suffers with autism, hearing loss, chronic asthma, and semantic and pragmatic disorder - had his big moment at a recent charity concert.

Held at the Hackney Empire, the Howlin' at the Moon concert aimed to raise money for the tsunami appeal and for women's counselling charity The Maya Centre.

Macauley, who lives in Chaucer Road with his parents and six-year-old brother Owen, went to the concert with his family in January because Phixx would be performing.

Phixx is made up of runners up from the ITV show Pop Stars – The Rivals.

Macauley's mother Michelle Elvin, 37, an ME and epilepsy sufferer, said: "Phixx released their first single 18 months ago and have had four top ten singles since then. Macauley records their videos, learns their songs and even dresses up like them.

"We had never had the chance to see them so we went to the concert on my birthday in January."

There were a host of celebrities in the audience, including Chris Tarrant, Eastenders star Jill Halfpenny and Liz McClarnon from Atomic Kitten.

As a surprise, Macauley's dad Kenny Elvin, 31, arranged for Mrs Elvin and Macauley to meet Phixx.

Mrs Elvin said: "All of a sudden we were whisked up to their dressing room. They asked Macauley to sing and he sang one of their songs to them – Strange Love."

Later when Phixx were performing on stage, Macauley – who had walked down the centre aisle and was dancing in front of the stage – was asked to go up and sing with them.

Mrs Elvin said: "He got lifted on stage. Macauley was on stage singing their first ever single – Hold On Me. They were just blown away by him. The whole audience was clapping and we were really, really impressed.

"When Phixx went off stage Macauley came down the steps and Liz from Atomic Kitten gave him a big hug. He was on cloud nine."

Chris from Phixx has since e-mailed Macauley, calling him Macauley mini-Phixx, while the family is planning to see the band again in July.

It is not the first time Macauley, who would love to be a Co-op Junior, has had a brush with fame.

He won first prize in the talent contest at Vauxhall Holiday Park in Great Yarmouth, has sung with McFly backstage and has even met Hollywood star Tom Cruise at the premiere of the film Collateral.

Are you impressed by plucky Macauley Elvin? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or send us an e-mail to eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk