A PURLEY cheerleading coach is celebrating the "best feeling in the world" after a team she founded leapt to success in a national competition.

Tori Hardy was overjoyed when her Unity Allstars Black senior team were crowned the winners of the Future Cheer National Cheerleading Championships in Bournemouth last Saturday.

It was fourth time lucky for the team, who have missed out on the title over the last three years.

Tori, 27, who founded the group in 2006, said the success was down to hard work and dedication.

The former Croydon High School pupil, who was brought up in Purley, believes the win will help cheerleading become more popular with young people across the borough.

"It was the best feeling in the world to win the championships," said Tori. "We've been really close for the last three years, and to win it this time round was amazing.

"We work really hard on our cheerleading routines. The members of the team come from all over the country and we're only able to train once every three or four weeks.

"It's a really difficult way to do it, but we've got some amazingly talented people on the team.

"Cheerleading is becoming more popular which I think is because it is a team sport. It gives you the chance to learn to work as a team and means you can share your success with your friends.

"I'm teaching cheerleading at various schools across the borough and the children love it. They are educated on understanding what competitive cheerleading is."

The Unity Allstars' two junior teams, which are made up of pupils aged eight to 16 from schools across the borough, were also successful at the championships.

The groups, which train at Sutton Tennis Academy in Rose Hill, were also recognised for their talents by winning a first and second place.

Rose was crowned the winner in its category and Pearl took the runners-up place in its division.

Tori believes cheerleading gives youngsters the opportunity to work together and develop new skills.

"The progress we've seen in the children on our team is amazing," she said. "It's given them something to do and something to focus on. I'm really proud of what they've achieved and it has also given us a chance to prove our coaching skills."

Tori hopes to set up two youth teams and one senior team in September to expand the Unity Allstars programme.

Anyone interested in finding out more should contact her at tori@unitycheeranddanceco.com or call 07734 298098.