Dem Bratz dancers win talent show

SHRIEKS of joy and roars of approval swept through Gorleston's Pavilion Theatre as the winners of this year's Gorleston's Got Talent competition were announced.

SHRIEKS of joy and roars of approval swept through Gorleston's Pavilion Theatre as the winners of this year's Gorleston's Got Talent competition were announced.

And for 11 excited and exuberant youngsters it was the culmination of a long Sunday afternoon of 29 acts waiting for the final result from the four judges.

Dem Bratz won the �100 first prize by unanimous vote and guaranteed themselves a place in the Variety of Life show at the Pavilion in June - a major charity fundraiser. Their enthusiastic, co-ordinated street dance with attitude stunned the audience and drew a standing ovation.

Dem Bratz originated at the Freestyle Dance Company in Great Yarmouth run by Esther Rouse. The 11 youngsters in the crew come from the Yarmouth, Gorleston and Lowestoft areas and range in age from five to 13.

They are: Chanel Crowe, Chloe McCarthy, Jessie Shorten, Jessica Hansen, Abby Philpott, Rhianna Mansfield, Anna Barnes, Caitlin Smith, Megan Albon, Cloe Carter and Sonny Rouse.

The three runners up who were also offered places in the show were singers Angelo Bernal, who has never appeared professionally and just sings for himself along with the radio; Destination Mars, a two part rap group who incorporate the collaboration of rap and singing; and Les Jones, an all round local singer who appeared in last year's Gorleston's Got Talent.

Acts this year for the show which attracted a capacity audience included singers, musicians and dancers, as well as a ventriloquist.

Host was head of tourism Alan Carr and the four judges were professional dancer Zac Patterson, Gorleston Pavilion's Stuart Durrant, Mercury editor Anne Edwards and dancer Karen Youngs who is producing the Variety of Life show in the summer.