A cheerleading club is aiming to be named the best in the world after scooping the top title at a national competition for the second year.

Intensity Cheer Extreme, based in Gravesend and Swanscombe, secured a place at the World Cheerleading Championships in Florida next month when they won the ICC National Championship last year.

After becoming national champions again at the competition 11 days ago and securing a championship place for 2018 as well, the team is feeling confident about their chances across the pond.

Head coach Sammi Hughes, 25, said: “Only three British teams go through to the next stage.

“We wouldn’t have expected to go through this year but we just won at the weekend against teams we are going to be competing against this year.

“No one was expecting us to. It’s definitely given the girls confidence.”

The competing team is the highest level squad, the all-girl ICE Level 5, which has 23 members ranging in age 13 to 27.

Miss Hughes said: “It’s such a diverse age range, they really help each other.

“I think that’s what makes the team work.”

However, the team was only awarded an “at large” bid, which means they have to self fund their trip for the April 26-28 competition at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.

They are the first Kent team to qualify for the competition and have collected £3,000 so far through fundraisers including a race night and promoting their gofundme.com page.

In the upcoming Easter holidays members are also set to run a training session for other cheerleaders in Hertfordshire to help raise another £2,000 and hit their £5,000 target.

Despite cheerleading being awarded provisional recognition as an Olympic sport last December , it is not yet recognised as a sport by Sport England.

Miss Hughes said it meant the club relied on parents and fundraising as they have no national funding.

She founded the club in Gravesend in August 2013 with her mum Julie Hughes and now they have 11 teams.

The different teams train at The Meapa Gymnastics Club in Gravesend and at Swanscombe Leisure Centre five times a week.

Email info@intensitycheerextreme.com to get involved and visit their fundraising page at www.gofundme.com/ice-5-worlds-2017-2v3a6b8