Dover’s Vista Twisters proved they belong on the world stage with two top-10 finishes at the Cheerleading World Championships in Florida.

Forty-seven club members comprising two squads battled it out at the Disney ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex - an especially proud moment as the Twisters are the first UK club to have two teams qualify for the finals.

The seniors T5 achieved seventh place in the world and the under-19 V4 squad came fourth to add to the club’s stories of success which already include multiple titles from across the UK and a bronze in the 2017 European Championships in Prague.

The junior Nitro squad also competed, taking part in the summit championships, finishing 44th out of 65 teams.

Programme director and coach Ruth McDade said: "Qualifying in 2019 for the Worlds and summit championships was fantastic.

"Our amazing athletes trained hard on their own through lockdowns and showed true dedication.

"Reaching the finals was our reward for all our hard work. We are so proud of our club and everyone involved fulfilling the dreams of our young athletes.

"We can't wait to go back and do it again!"

The club now have their own gym, The Base, in Dover and 13 competitive squads with more than 200 athletes aged four and upwards.

Anyone interested in trying cheerleading, or for more information about the club, can message the Twisters on Facebook, email kalvinclapson@live.co.uk or text ‘I want to be a Twister’ to 07841 997211.