A TROOP of Irish dancers will be hot-footing it to an international contest after stamping out the opposition.

The group of nine to 11-year-olds at Marie Martin's School of Irish Dancing have won a place at the world championships.

The school, which has been training in Dartford and Bexleyheath for 11 years, will join hundreds of dancers, from all over the world, at the competition in Glasgow at the end of March.

Carol Dooley, whose daughter, Grace, is the youngest in the group, said: "It is a fantastic achievement and we are all very excited and hoping to do well."

The 16 dancers split into two teams at the regional finals in December and swept the board coming first and second.

Their mothers and teacher Marie Martin will accompany them to the championships.

Mrs Dooley, who took up Irish dancing herself after her daughter started four years ago, said: "I have such respect for the girls and how they remember all the steps."

The school has previously competed in the British championships and also in the world championships four years ago.