SEVEN dancers are hoping to bring worldwide glory back to Swindon as they compete in the World Irish Dance Association World Championships.

The young girls from The Farrell School of Irish Dance based in Fairford have all set off for the championship this weekend in Brighton. Four of the girls, who live in Swindon, travel up to Fairford to train with the other dancers - sometimes as often as four times a week.

Clare Crocker who runs the school said: “All the dancers have been working really hard training for this event, and sometimes having classes four times a week to ensure the routines required have been learnt and polished up in time. You would not believe how quickly the last five months have passed since qualifiers, when all the dancers knew they had achieved their place.

“But I am so proud of them for not giving up when the going got tough and through the tears, injuries and not having the confidence they have all blossomed and proved to not only themselves but to their parents and friends that they can do it and do it well.

“Irish Dancing is one of the hardest types of dance forms to learn, and collectively these girls have been dancing over 12 years and for all of them it is their first time at a world championship.

“The Championships in the past have been held as far as Berlin, and in recent years has been held in Dusseldorf - but this year the Championships is on home ground. The Worlds - as we call it – kicked off on Thursday and finishes on Sunday so it is a long four days and I am sure the girls will get up on that big stage and dance like the stars I know they all are.”