CALL Victoria Dobbs a high-flyer and she'd be delighted. In fact, she'd probably jump for joy.

The 14-year-old Thornleigh College pupil is believed to be the only child in the country born with Down's Syndrome who can perform somersaults on the trampoline.

This is to the delight not only of herself and her mother, Annette, but also teacher Jan Tattersall who has specialised in this kind of "rebound therapy" which stimulates parts of the brain.

Somersaults are generally banned for children born with Down's Syndrome because of instability problems.

But since taking up trampolining five years ago, Victoria - a determined young woman with a zest for life - has confounded the experts by learning this among a whole range of trampolining movements.

She attends Jan's two-hour Saturday afternoon class at Sharples Sports Centre (Jan also takes one at Little Lever Sports Centre on Wednesdays from 5.15pm to 6.30pm) and has been taught somersaults with the aid of a harness.

It's an integrated class of 20 youngsters aged from five to 17, with able-bodied and special needs children taking equal part.

"And I can honestly say that no able-bodied child has so much as queried having special needs youngsters in the same class," said Jan.

She works with them equally, and they compete equally. In fact, when Jan needed a 14-strong trampolining squad for the Greater Manchester Youth Games, Victoria won her team place on merit from this class of 30 youngsters.

"She's great!" enthused Jan. "When she's not here, it doesn't seem like the same class."

Jan believes that the most valuable part of these classes for all the youngsters is the integration aspect. "It's so good for all of them," she said.

She is especially grateful to the management of Sharples and Little Lever sports centres and to the Sports Development Department for all their support and help.

As for Victoria, her mother reports that she loves the sessions.

And Jan reckons that, if she can, she will try to get Victoria through a British Trampolining Federation coaching qualification when she is 18.

Then the bouncing Bolton youngster can pass on her skills and inspiration to scores of other children, rebounding her sport into a lively future.

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