DIVAS the world over who cancel their gigs at the slightest hint of a sniffle might do well to follow the example of a team of determined dancers from the North-East.

Confronted with broken bones, serious ailments and even car crashes, the girls of the Billingham Juvenile Latin Team, from Teesside, did not throw a collective tantrum.

Instead, they dusted themselves off, practised harder and beat the odds to claim second place in a national dance tournament.

They clinched the runners-up spot in last weekend's 14-team British Latin American Dance Championships at Blackpool Tower ballroom - a feat that only weeks ago seemed impossible.

Angela Conlon is the proud mother of team member Philippa, 11, who competed despite recently suffering a broken toe.

She said: "It is the girls who deserve all the credit for what they achieved.

"Their determination was amazing.

"Because they are an under-12s team, they will soon have to break up and join under-16s teams, so I suspect they felt they had to dance no matter what because it was the last time they'd be together."

Joining Philippa on the team's list of walking wounded was Stephanie Rodgers, 11, who broke a toe at the swimming baths, and Sarah Wilson, also 11, who suffered the same affliction while at school. Stephanie has also recently recovered from pneumonia.

Perhaps the most amazing recovery was that of 11-year-olf Rachel Austin, who broke several bones and spent three days unconscious when she was run over by a car last year.

Mrs Conlon, who works as a clerk at Teesside Crown Court, said: "People were laughing at me at work when I told them what these girls have had to overcome.

"They have been helped by a couple of really good teachers, Sue Dibden and Dawn Lamb."