A DANCE school boss whose husband died from cancer has helped to give a fund-raising boost to a specialist centre tackling the disease.

Youngsters from Marjorie Deighton's school in Urmston raised £3,500 by taking part in two special performances in Trafford.

The case was raised by two performances of Showtime at the Garrick Theatre in Altrincham.

Marjorie has introduced thousands of young dancers to tap, ballet and modern dance over the past half a century and many of their shows have been fund raising efforts.

She regards support for charities as part of the curriculum of her school of dance and has raised thousands of pounds, especially for Christie Hospital.

Some 80 dancers, 60 of them children and young people, revealed their diverse talents at the Garrick, in a succession of energy-packed performances. Starting with 'I'm A Little Teapot' from pre-school tots, the show interspersed ballet - excerpts from Swan Lake and The Nutcracker - with numbers from Mary Poppins, West Side Story, 42nd Street and Grease.

Christie regional appeals officer, Rachel Roberts, said: "I was amazed how even young children coped with the rapid scene and costume changes.

"It was a fabulous show. With so many young people involved, Marjorie has chosen to support Christie's young oncology unit with the money raised.

"There are several important research projects centred on the unit, including a study to try to increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy for bone cancer in children."

Marjorie produced the show, but attributes its success to dance teachers and choreographers Donna Gadsby-Westlake, Karen Green and Karan Sanders, together with the musicians and back stage people.

And Marjorie said: "As my husband died from cancer six years ago, we were all pleased to support Christie's again."

In 48 years of running her school, she has seen pupils join ballet companies, international dance troupes, TV shows and, in the 1960s, the famous Tiller Girls.