TALENTED young cheerleaders have been crowned champions after dancing their way to a national title.

Girls from throughout Inverclyde in the DM Diamonds Cheerleading squad are on a high after winning the coveted Scottish Cheerleading Championship.

Their success comes just over a year after the group formed and has delighted head coach Ann-Marie Campbell, from Greenock.

A total of 31 young girls are in the group's junior section with 15 in the youth team.

The two teams competed in the Scottish finals, with the juniors narrowly securing the win by just 0.2 of a mark.

The championships were held in the Kelvin Hall in Glasgow and in front of top judges from America, the home of cheerleading.

Ann-Marie, who used to teach disco dancing with the Dance Mania group, is over the moon with the success of her girls in such a short space of time.

She told the Tele: "We have been going since February 2011 so we are delighted to have won.

"We've come a long way and we just can't believe it, it was like something you see on TV - that's how much we couldn't believe it.

"They were spot on and did everything they were supposed to on the day.

"It's a very big arena and there was a great atmosphere.

"There were American judges marking the scores so it was good to have people like that helping us and telling us how we can improve." As part of their win, the girls have now been invited to take part in the world championships in Florida, USA, later this year.

Ann-Marie said: "Even to get that chance is something special but it will all come down to cost.

"But what an experience that would be for the girls." DM Diamonds practice every Tuesday in St Andrew's Square church, next to the fire station, from 4.15 to 9pm, with various age group classes on during that time.