THE fuel crisis will not stop a group of youngsters from Redcar and Cleveland giving a dress rehearsal for their performance in the Dome.

A cast of 60 youngsters from across the borough will preview the performance at Bydales School, Marske, tomorrow night despite fears that the performance would be postponed because of the fuel crisis.

The group's performance takes place in the Millennium Dome on October 13 as part of McDonald's Our Town Story, where youngsters from every local authority in the country give a performance about their area.

Redcar and Cleveland's show features dance and music on a theme of myths and legends, and is based on the tales of local witch Peg Powler.

The cast features young musicians from Tees Valley Music Service plus dancers from three youth centres - Marske, West Redcar and South Bank - and four primary schools - Normanby, St Gabriels in Ormesby, Northgate in Guisbor-ough, Hummersea at Loftus and Bydales School. Students from Redcar FE College will have an exhibition of myths and legends next to the performance stage.

Allan Cassidy, project organiser on behalf of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, said: "It would have been a shame if the group's tremendous enthusiasm for this project was dented."

The youngsters' day in the Dome took a political twist when Barbara Harpham, Leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council's Conservatives, said her party disagreed with sending a councillor for "a freebie at the taxpayers' expense" and would, instead, send a representative to the performance in Marske.

David Walsh, Labour leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council, dismissed these remarks as "bizarre" and added there would be two elected members at the event. "That is amongst the lowest number from any local borough - including those run by the Tories," he said