WITH 300 feather boas and an incredible amount of hard work, a Newport dance school raised a staggering £5,000 for the tragic families of Beslan victims.

The Dolman Theatre was alive with colour, song and dance when the Vanessa Clarke School of Dance presented a three-night show - Viva Paradis.

The show packed no fewer than 27 dance routines and costume changes - and songs into the three-hour performances.

Playing to a sell-out audience every night, Mrs Clarke, who performed in some of the numbers, said the idea to raise money for families of the Russian school massacre victims came from children who attend her classes.

She said: "The children wanted to donate all the money to Beslan, and we all pulled together and worked hard to produce the show, It was absolutely amazing and we had incredible support."

The dance spectacular saw a lively and mixed programme of Broadway, street dancing, and renditions of Somebody to Love, and Singin' In the Rain.

The school, in Beechwood Presbyterian Church, prides itself on the unstinting levels of support it gets from the dancers, their parents and members who raise money to stage the shows.

"From the parents making cakes and teas to working backstage, and the performers, I would like to thank everyone," added Mrs Clarke.

The mayor of Newport, Councillor Paul Cockeram, who attended the last night of the show, received the cheque on behalf of the fund.