DANCE divas were put through their paces with the help of cartoon pop phenomenon the VBirds when they visited Bolton.

Children had the chance to try out the dance steps to the characters' debut pop single "Virtuality" at the Big W store on Manchester Road.

Although a promised plasma big screen showing the cartoon quartet did not materialise the "pop princesses" created by the TV station Cartoon Network proved a draw with some children keen to win a T-shirt.

Children were taught the steps by VBirds representative Kokui Can-Tamakloe and those who got the best scores go through to a competition with the chance to win a Playstation 2 console.

The two-dimensional group are said to be a cross between the Spice Girls and Gorillaz, the cartoon band featuring the voice of Blur's Damon Albarn. The line up includes Little green D:Lin on the decks, the band's gossip Boom, master rapper Bling and the VBirds' agony aunt Wow.

Among the dance competition winners yesterday was 11-year-old Heather Shaw, from Yewdale Avenue, Breightmet, who won a T-shirt. The dance competition continues at the store today.

"The youngsters have been really enjoying it and we have been handing out stickers round the store," said Kokui.

According to their publicity the four cartoon girls have been exiled from their home planet of Planet V and have landed on Earth, making their home in an amusement arcade.