Dance students to take part in national competition
Pupils at a performing arts school are leaping for joy after winning through to the national finals of the All England Dance competition.
Three groups of girls who train at the MD School of Performing Arts, based in Telford, have won through to the finals which will take place in High Wycombe next month.
Mother-of-two Debbie Ashford, the 53-year-old principal of the school, said: "This is really a major achievement.
"To actually get all three groups through to the finals is just so exciting."
She said they had shown real dedication to get through to the finals.
She said: "The pupils range from 11-years-old to 18-years-old and train three to four times a week after school.
"Although groups have qualified for the regional finals every year, this year we decided to go for it and they competed at Blackburn.
"I was really excited to learn that they had all got through.
"It is a phenomenal achievement and they were competing against 16 other schools from the northern area.
"There will be about 17 girls taking part in the event.
"It will be a tough competition as they will be up against some of the best dancers in the country.
"The finals will take place at High Wycombe from July 22 to July 30."
