TWO hundred youngsters are taking part in the annual Nelson Festival of Dance.

The event began at the weekend at Pendle Hippodrome Theatre, Colne, and continues on Saturday and Sunday.

Local weekend winners were: national 9-10 years: 1, Jodie Walsh, Rawtenstall, 2, Holly Bingham, Rawtenstall; 7-8 years: 3, Lauren Reed, Rawtenstall; greek 9 and 10: 1, Amber Preston, Rawtenstall, 3, Holly Bingham; junior novice stage: 7-9, 2, Louise Wood, Blackburn; junior novice classical 7-9: 1, Joanna Butcher, Burnley.

Baby cabaret: 1, Tierney Heap, Rawtenstall; baby national under 7: 1, Tierney Heap, 2, Laura Davies, Rawtenstall, 3, Dayna Edington, Colne; B modern 8-9: 2, Rosie Varlas, Blackburn, 3 tie, Amber Preston and Martin Anderson, Burnley; baby character under 7: 1, Tierney Heap, 3, Mary Green, Rawtenstall; B tap 9-10: 1, Amber Preston, 2, Jordan Heap, Rawtenstall; junior non cabaret duet under 9: 1, Tierney Heap and Mary Green, Rawtenstall.

Senior novice 10-12: 3, Rebecca Marsh, Blackburn; B character 9-10: 1, Vicky Walker, Rawtenstall, 2 Holly Bingham, 3 tie, Amber Preston, Jordan Heap, Rawtenstall. Baby ballet under 7: 2, Tierney Heap, 3, Laura Davies, Rawtenstall; senior novice classical 10-12: 2, Martin Anderson, Burnley; baby Greek under 7: 1, Tierney Heap, 2, Laura Davies.

B ballet 9-10: 1, Jennifer Stones, Burnley; C character 11-12: 1 Helen O'Connell, Nelson; junior/ intermediate non cabaret trio under 13: 2, Tierney Heap, Mary Green and Laura Davies.

C Greek 11-12: 1 Clare Walker, Rawtenstall; intermediate cabaret duet 9-12: 1, Holly Bingham and Jordan Heap, 2, Jennifer Stones and Martin Anderson, Burnley, 3, Tierney Heap and Amber Preston.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.