Cheerleading club launched

The High School Musical craze sweeping across the UK has taken Shropshire schoolchildren by storm. Now the county's first cheerleading club has opened its doors in Telford.Cheer School Telford has been launched at the Phoenix School in Dawley and Blessed Robert Johnson Catholic College in Wellington.

It comes after the annual British Cheerleading Association's British and International Championships was held in Telford for the first time last year.

The cult hit, High School Musical, has attracted thousands of young fans across the UK, leading to a boom in the number of children wanting to wave their pom-poms.

Organisers of the new club said cheerleading was a unique athletic discipline, which included cheers, chants, stunts, cheer-arm motions, jumps, tumbling and dance and was a way for youngsters to gain self-esteem, self-discipline, teamwork, leadership, perseverance and friendship.

Ben Griffiths, for the Cheer School Telford, said: "Cheerleading is enjoying phenomenal growth across the country thanks to films like 'High School Musical' and 'Bring it on', with children wanting to copy the things they see on the films.

"Not only is cheerleading unique, it's great fun and a fantastic way to keep fit. We look forward to welcoming boys and girls aged five to 16 who want to take part."

Last year Shropshire's cheerleading team - Bridgnorth Tigers - took on competition from more than 240 teams from around the world when they impressed the judges at Telford's International Centre in one of the biggest events in Europe.

Anybody who runs fetes, festival or carnivals and would like cheerleaders to perform, should call 07957 209386.