A YOUNG WOMAN from Hampshire has tapped her way through an international competition to take home first prize.

Ellen Eyers, from Mill Lane in Droxford, works part-time for her mum, Debbie, at the cafe at Winchester Science Centre and has been tap-tapping away since the age of three.

Earlier this month she and forty others made up Tap Attack, the team that won gold at the 2013 International Dance Organisation World Tap Championships held in Riesa in Germany.

The 18-year-old said: “I’ve been doing this actual competition for five years. When people think of tap dancing they think it’s old fashioned. But we decided to mix it up a bit this year and danced to Calvin Harris.

“We had never won before and then to come first this year was amazing!

“I’d love to do TV work eventually but dancing is my main priority and I want to do all I can to hold onto it.”

Ellen came away with the title of World Champion, in the Adult Formation category, alongside the other 21 members of the team who competed.

England Head Coach and former tap dancer, Jo Scanlan, said: “Ellen has worked extremely hard to firstly be selected for this year’s England Team and then showed great determination and sacrifice to be crowned World Champion.

“There are around 2,000 tap dancers from nearly 20 countries and Ellen should be very proud of her achievement”.

Ellen was joined by fellow Hampshire dancers, 17-year-old Chloe Hammerton from Botley, 19-year-old Imogen Weatherhead and 17-year-old Victoria Sarker both from Southampton. Imogen took home a bronze medal in the Adult Female solos.