Costume theft fails to stopyounggymnasts
A GYMNASTICS troupe whose 75 costumes were stolen at the weekend still went ahead with their displays to adoring fans.
Award-winning Dynamite Gymnastics, based in Clydebank Business Park, travelled to Manchester to perform with dozens of youngsters in three group shows.
But overnight on Saturday, someone broke into their hired bus as it was parked outside the church hosting them in Salford.
The new outfits for the Ignition, Sparklers and Firecrackers teams cost £45 each – and the school is crowdfunding £3,500 to replace them all.
The 75 young performers ranged from ages six to 21 and were to put on displays at The Lowry themed to Disney greats Hercules, Beauty and the Beast and Moana.
They went ahead with their performances regardless – thanks to a loan of leotards from a local troupe, adapted outfits bought from M&S and a parent who drove down from Glasgow on Sunday with back-up attire.
Coach Ellena Devitt said “We’re very well known up and down the country.
“This was our first time performing the new routines and the costumes were quite important.
“Nothing like this has ever happened before. We’ve been travelling there since 2005.”
She added: “Right now, we’re still in shock. How did it happen? And why? They’re valuable to us, but probably not to somebody else.
“I think everybody was just on adrenaline. The girls all really pulled together and they all performed really well.”
One of the performers Abbie Doogan, 13, said: “Everyone was looking forward to performing in their costumes. We were just happy we still got to perform and a lot of people said it was really well done.”
Parent Allison MacKenzie, whose 11-year-old daughter Kaia was on the trip, said they all did the club proud.
She said: “They were devastated – they were brand new, custom-made costumes, so this was the first chance to put them on.
“But kids are very resilient. They didn’t let the theft put them off. They did themselves and their team proud.”
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: “Shortly after 9.55am, police were called to Nelson Street, Salford, to reports that a vehicle had been broken into and items taken from within.
“No arrests have been made in connection with the incident, which is believed to have happened some time overnight.”
Visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/alannah-connollydynagym.