AN Ellesmere Port school of performing arts is seeking support from the community as it hopes to fund a minibus so young stars can perform across the country.

Shadazzle School of Performing Arts, which holds four classes a week at Flexspace, Pioneer Business Park, North Road, is looking to raise £5,000 so families will be able to easily afford funding travel in the future.

The school has come on leaps and bounds in the two-and-a-half years since it was set up in Whitby High School and, since performing at the Echo Arena last year in an event with more than 100 other schools, now has the dream opportunity of performing at Disneyland Paris.

Laura Forsyth, owner and teacher at the school, explained how the group had gone from strength to strength.

She said: "We started out as a dancing and acting group and it suddenly became apparent there was a big gap in the market.

"There were no exams, it was just a fun place to go, and we performed at the Ellesmere Port Civic Hall.

"It has just grown and grown - we have now got our own studio and we do three nights a week, with a fourth for adults. We have acting groups, dancing groups and acrobatic dance, which is a mixture of gym and dance.

"We have done what the kids have asked us to do.

"We performed at the Echo Arena last year and are hoping to do so again this year.

Ninety per cent of our children have never dance performed before, and when you see a 12-year-old who has been practising for two years, and they have come so far, it's great to see."

Now the group is looking to perform at events across the country and potentially audition for Britain's Got Talent, but with that comes the cost of travel.

Laura said: "It's very difficult to get there with transport costs, especially asking parents to pay so much. If we had a bus it would be much easier, it would be a nominal fee for petrol.

"I'm a mum of three myself, I have to pay for cost of tickets and buses and trains for the children when they go on school trips, so the bus would help."

The group has now got the opportunity to perform at Disneyland Paris.

Laura explained: "We have got a 20-minute slot to perform there and also perform in the main group parade."

A Gofundme page has been set up where people can donate directly, while a series of fundraisers is being planned.

To donate, visit www.gofundme.com/6x23ubc.

The school has sing, dance and act classes on Monday, dance classes for adults on Tuesdays, acrobatics dance on Wednesdays and dance squad on Thursdays.

For more information, visit www.shadazzleschool.co.uk.