Tiny dancer in final win

Tollomeo Mainwaring

A ROYTON dance school saw one of it's seven-year-old dancers gain top spot as he became the North West champion in his age group.

Tollomeo Mainwaring (7), who dances for Royton's Trujons Dance School, showed his nimble footwork as he won the International Dance Teachers Association North West competition on Sunday.

Competing in the 6-8 age range, Tollomeo, of Broad Lane, Rochdale, won the championship with ballroom and Latin dances with his partner.

He had only been training in ballroom and Latin dancing for a year and managed to gain an impressive score in the final, dropping just one point overall on his first waltz.

Now, having been crowned champion of the North West, Tollomeo can look forward to competing at the national competition at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool in April.

Proud father John Mainwaring said: "I think he was just happy to make the final so when he won it he was amazed. When his number was called for the final he was chuffed but then when he won he was ecstatic.

"I was as excited as him, I thought he danced well in the final. His mum was really really pleased and really excited."

Looking ahead to the national competition John said: "What he does is he goes to two classes and then he has private sessions to work on his footwork and timing."

• Check out more pictures of Tollomeo on our picture sales page.