He's got the golden ticket! Young Willy Wonka wins factory tour

Harry Syers, 11, not only played Willy Wonka but will hopefully meet him next month. Photo / John Stone

Only five days after he played Willy Wonka in his school's production, Glenbervie School student Harry Syers found out his family won New Zealand's only chance to visit the famous Wonka chocolate factory in Australia.

Harry, 11, was woken by his mum Vanessa early on Wednesday with the news they had won a Nestle competition, which included an all expenses paid trip to the renowned chocolate factory in Melbourne on October 2.

When Nestle called a confused Mrs Syers late Tuesday night she could not believe how ironic the whole thing was, she said.

"I wasn't sure if it was true or not because I was half asleep. I went to wake [Harry] up but my husband wouldn't let me," Mrs Syers said.

Harry was so surprised the next morning he just sat in silence initially.

A week earlier, he had played the part of Willy Wonka of the famous Roald Dahl book in his school's production, which was held at Forum North.

Harry took Nestle's congratulatory letter to school that day to show his classmates.

"They wouldn't believe me though," he said.

Even Harry's teacher, Donna Clarke, initially thought he was playing a prank on her.

"When he brought the letter to school I was like, 'are you joking me?'," Ms Clarke said. He was the envy of all the other students and some of the teachers, she said.

The school's production was called A Night at the Library and each class had to create and present a performance based on a book.

Harry's class chose Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but with a twist - they called it Oompa Loompa Idol.

For the competition, which ran from July 28 to September 9, Nestle had hidden one golden ticket in a chocolate bar somewhere in New Zealand and four in Australia.

Following the school's production, and much chocolate eating, the Syers family had not found a golden ticket but had entered the competition seven times online.

When the competition ended last Tuesday the golden ticket remained unclaimed so Nestle conducted a secondary draw, which Harry won.

"It just seems quite tinny," Mrs Syers said. "It was cool to know people actually win these competitions."

The prize consists of return flights to Melbourne, two nights' accommodation at a four-star hotel, $5000 spending money and a day at the Nestle factory which produces the Wonka products.

It will be transformed into the Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory for the day.

While Harry and his brother Riley, 8, are very excited about the visit to the chocolate factory, Harry also hopes he can convince his mum to put some of the prize money towards new cricket gear.