Dancer faces a ballet battle after funding let down

The dreams of Peterborough’s own‘ Billy Elliot’ are in danger of being snatched away unless a funding miracle can be found.

Charlie Mellor ( 11) has taken the boys’ ballet world by storm and wowed tutors to win a place at the Tring Park School of Performing Arts.

But the Hampton Vale schoolboy’s hopes of starting the new academic term at the Hertford shire dance academy, in September, are in tatters.

Tring heaped praise on Charlie before telling him, days ago, there was no bursary funding to cover his £ 10,000 per term tuition.

Tina Mellor, Charlie’s mum and an administrator, said Charlie had taken the news brilliantly and knew that scholarships for Tring were like gold dust.

Shesaid: “In an ideal world we would love him to go, but things like that don’t happen to people like us, so we’re keeping him as grounded as possible.

“We want him to have hopes and dreams, but don’t want him to have crash landings.”

The talented youngster, who asked for ballet lessons aged four, leapt into first place in the Cecchetti Children’s Awards last year.

Before Charlie, it was unheard of for a male dancer to take even the runner- up spot.

Tring will honour Charlie’s place at the school and have put him on a waiting list, in case the funding can be found.

Mum Tina said: “He’ll still dance at the Oundle School of Ballet in Peterborough and if opportunities don’t happen he’ll make his own.

“He’s a focused, determined little boy and he won’t be defeated.”

Charlie strikes a pose.