SCHOOLGIRL Victoria Sarker has proved she is Hampshire's very own dancing queen. Yesterday she became the Daily Echo and Southampton City Council Dance Idol 2004.
The eight-year-old triumphed in the competition's grand final at St Mary's Leisure Centre, Southampton.
Immediately after receiving her trophy from Daily Echo editor Ian Murray Victoria dashed off to give her mum Sheila and dad Dean, who were in the crowd, a huge hug.
"We're very, very proud of her,'' said Sheila.
"Victoria was pleased just to get through the heats. We are all so delighted that she won.''
Victoria is a pupil at the Pat Stanford tap and modern dance school and the Belinda's Babes disco dancing school.
More than 240 youngsters aged from five to 16 originally took part in the annual competition. They were eventually whittled down to 35 who took part in the final.
Victoria, of Cheriton Avenue, Harefield, in Southampton, won the 5-8 section.
The Harefield Junior School pupil then claimed the overall title after a dance-off against winner of the 9-12 category Helen Judd, of Athelstan Road, Bitterne, Southampton and Laura Heda, of Stenbury Way, Butlocks Heath, Southampton, who took the 13-16 section.
As the overall winner, Victoria wins shopping vouchers worth £150, dance lessons at the Jane Mackinnon Dance School, a huge trophy, a certificate, and cinema and leisure vouchers.
The other two section winners each receive £75 shopping vouchers and leisure tokens as well as a trophy.
The runners-up in each category won shopping vouchers worth £50 while third place received shopping tokens to the value of £25. Each of the finalists in the dance competition won a pair of cinema tickets and a goody bag.
ROLL OF HONOUR:
Five to eight-year-old section
1. Victoria Sarker, of Cheriton Avenue, Harefield
2. Chancey Gregory, of Peartree Avenue
3. Stacey Holton, of Cedar Close, Bursledon
Nine to 12-year-old section
1. Helen Judd, of Athelstan Road, Bitterne
2. Annah Schilder, of Culford Avenue, Totton
3.Daniella Dexter, of Firtree Way, Sholing
13 to 16-year-old section
1. Laura Heda, of Stenbury Way, Butlocks Heath
2. Laura Hale, of Saltmead, St Denys
3. Laura Yates, of Chale Close, Bridgemary, Gosport.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article