HIGH-FLYING teenagers Emma Lewis and Colette Morrow are in line to thrill visitors to the Millennium Dome after winning places with a circus training school.

Colette, 18, of Barrowford, and 17-year-old Emma, of Barley, beat off the challenge from hundreds of other young hopefuls across the country to be chosen among the 43 successful entrants.

They had to prove they had the fitness, desire to perform in front of an audience and a head for heights before judges picked them out.

The two girls started a week of rigorous training in London yesterday, including expert tuition in aerial and acrobatic disciplines such as trapeze work.

They will have to successfully complete a one-year training course to gain a Certificate of Higher Education and join the Dome Ensemble Company before they secure a place among the Dome performers, who will entertain the hundreds of thousands of visitors from across the world expected to visit the controversial Millennium landmark.

Emma, a former Colne Dramatic Society member and pupil at St Christopher's High School, Accrington, Emma found out about the project through a television programme.

Colette, a former pupil at Fisher-More RC High School, Colne, was persuaded to apply by one of her tutors.

"I'm looking forward to the experience," said Colette. "We will be a part of world history. It should be a hell of a show."

The girls will join the first Millennium Experience show on December 31, 1999, and perform each day for a year.

Coincidentally the girls have known each other since they were young and were members of the Lancashire gymnastics squad but did not know they had both applied until they bumped into each other at the auditions.

They both gave up their plans to go on to higher education for the chance to be involved in a major part of the Millennium celebrations.

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