DAZZLING dancing couples have been praised by a Strictly Come Dancing star during a ballroom competition.

Katya Jones, a professional dancer on the BBC One show, helped judge Battle of the Ballroom, in Ipswich, on Sunday.

The event was a ballroom dancing competition where the public votes for their favourite competitors by watching the dances through a website called DSI TV.

Six couples from dance school Ballroom Business, based in Dovercourt, entered the competition.

Tristan Collis and Katin Dunn, both 12, were chosen by Katya as runners-up in the Under-16s final.

In the solo part of the competition the school had five winners out of its 19 entrants.

Chloe Carman, who set up Ballroom Business two years ago, said: “All couples made it through to the first round and got to be judged in front of Katya and got critiqued and praised by her.

“The battle was a completely new style of competition. It was nerve-racking and exciting, but I loved seeing the kids’ faces when Katya was talking to them about their dancing.

“She even said I love you to one couple and their faces were a picture. “It was so lovely for one of our couples to reach the super battle.”