Disney World

A fairytale turned into a nightmare for youngsters from a Bridlington dance school when they found out they cannot perform at Disneyland Paris this weekend.
The 17 dancers from Collette Tyler School of Dance won the Dance 2007 Grand Final at Blackpool last weekend and were over the moon at the thought of dancing in front of a crowd at the park in France.
However, their dreams were shattered after they discovered the trip was at such short notice, and they did not have enough money to pay for the transport and some of the children did not have passports.
Collette Tyler, who runs the dance school in Springfield Avenue, said: “I was annoyed at first, I was annoyed because the children can’t go and they were really upset.”
For winning they were also given one trophy and a teddy bear to share, but the parents thought they all deserved a prize so they clubbed together and bought them a trophy each.
The children, aged between eight and 11 years, won their heats with their dance Do You Love Me last year and were due to take part in the final in November.
The competition was put back until January – but the date of the prize did not change.
Collette said: “Had they not changed the date of the competition we would have had a lot more time to prepare.
“They said they wanted all of the details the day after the competition, I wanted to change it and go next year but they said the prize had been booked and they couldn’t do anything about it.
“They offered the prize to the runners up but I don’t know if they are able to go.”
The competition prize included two nights accommodation and entry into the park, but the school had to arrange the transport, which would cost £3,000 and then they would need spending money and food.
Each child must also be accompanied by an adult, who were also expected to pay their own way, and at such short notice some parents had other commitments.
Russell Hatt, whose grandchildren Jade and Rebecca Norton were among those taking part said he felt let down and that what they had been offered was not really a prize.
He said entering the competition had already cost a lot of money.
Mr Hatt said: “The children cannot go because it is too expensive for some of the parents. We were told on Sunday ‘it’s next week’ and some people have no passports.
“It’s a right old mess and most of all the children have been let down. We are very upset and so is Collette.
“We have one of the best UK dance groups in this little town.”
He said he would be paying more attention to the terms and conditions attached to prizes in future competitions.
To make it up to the disappointed children, Collette said the school was going to do some fund-raising and go to EuroDisney next year. But as well as paying for the transport they will also have to pay for the accommodation and it is expected to be about £140 each.
She said: “They danced fantastically and we are going to do things and make up for it.
“They did the show in Bridlington at the weekend and they put 100% into it and didn’t let it bother them.”

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