MORE than 250 young dancers descended on East Lancashire for the first weekend of the annual Hyndburn Dance Festival.

The event, held over two consecutive weekends at Oswaldtwistle Civic Theatre, attracted clubs from across the North West as well as members of Accrington Dance Academy, East Lancashire Dance School in Rosegrove, Burnley, and the Debra McLaren Dance School in Rawtenstall.

Competitors will complete an average of seven dances over the two weekends, clocking up more than 1,000 performances and gaining points for individual awards in five age-group categories.

Secretary of the festival Janet Lang said: "It's been very hectic but very enjoyable and everyone seems to have had a good time. We are all looking forward to welcoming the dancers back next week."

Police alerted after suspicious caller asks to take photographs

ORGANISERS of the annual dance competition, which involves children younger than six, called the police when an anonymous photographer asked to cover their performances.

Janet Lang, secretary of the Hyndburn Dance Festival, was concerned for the safety of more than 250 competitors after receiving a telephone call from a man on Saturday.

She said: "He didn't give his name but said he was a journalistic photographer who was collecting photographs for a national library.

"He said he wanted to take some shots of the children performing because he wanted positive images but something just didn't ring true." Mrs Lang, who co-ordinates the event held over two weekends each year at Oswaldtwistle Civic Hall, said she immediately informed police.

She went on: "The fact he wanted to take photos of them performing concerned me because the girls wear some very figure-hugging costumes and the dances themselves are copyright.

"We don't allow it, but he had a very businesslike attitude and was pushy. When he hung up I dialled 1471 and the number had been withheld.

"I don't think a legitimate photographer would do that and it got me thinking. I didn't like the sound of it so I rang the police."

Mrs Lang and other organisers were on alert for the man throughout the weekend but he never turned up.

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