Last updated at 13:46, Friday, 21 December 2012

A Maryport cheerleading squad has plenty to shout about after winning prizes at a national championship.

TROPHY CHEER: The Bluestars cheerleaders came back from the British Cheerleading Association competition in Blackpool with six trophies

Maryport’s Bluestars walked away from the British Cheerleading championships with two first prizes, a second and a third.

It was a remarkable achievement for a group that started as a small after-school club at Maryport Junior School five years ago.

Now an independent club with 44 members, the group has achieved success at every championship it has attended, including the British competitions in Blackpool this month.

The under-nines came first in jazz section and the under-12s were fourth in jazz.

The senior squad won trophies in all four of their divisions with a first in jazz, second in poms, third in cheerleading level two and a fourth in senior level one struts.

Organisers Anne-Marie Hill and Janice McCue said the non-profit cheer club had grown from 10 members to 44.

This year there have been 17 new starters which had taken the cost of uniforms and training and competitions to almost £11,000.

Mrs Hill said: “To help towards raising the funds we were bag packing in Asda and held a raffle with prizes very kindly donated by businesses in Maryport.”

Maryport Town Council also donated £250.

First published at 12:16, Friday, 21 December 2012
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk