Christmas has come early for a group of performing children in Carlisle and west Cumbria.

The youngsters, who attend Razzamataz Theatre School will be performing at Disneyland Paris.

The 45 children, aged between eight and 18, attend the theatre schools classes in Carlisle, Penrith, West Cumbria and Dumfries.

They will be showcasing their talents in the Dome Disney Village, where Cirque du Soleil once performed their iconic shows.

Seventeen of the theatre schools within the Razzamataz network have the opportunity to perform at Disneyland Paris and all the months of hard work during rehearsals will come to fruition during the gala performance.

The team at Razzamataz have been working with the children for a number of months to prepare for this opportunity and create a performance piece that will display the children’s talent for singing, dancing and acting.

Although the curriculum at Razzamataz covers everything from musical theatre through to the commercial genres, for this special gala performance the pieces will be Disney inspired.

The icing on the cake for the whole experience will likely to be performing in the iconic Disney Performing Arts Pre-Parade down Main Street USA in the Disneyland Park.

The Razzamataz students will be performing just before the official Disney parade with their own song.

Debbie Mitchell, principal of Razzamataz, said: "This is the first time that Razzamataz students have performed at Disneyland Paris and it makes it extra special that it is happening during the 25th anniversary celebrations.

"We are incredibly proud to be performing our own song as part of the Disney Performing Arts Pre Parade.

"It will make the whole experience even more magical."

Razzamataz offer many exciting opportunities for their students, both locally and on a much larger stage.

For a number of years, youngsters have been performing at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London and new for 2018, they will be performing at the Indigo Centre at London’s O2.

"These experiences really give our students and their families memories that will last a lifetime," Debbie told the News & Star.

"It is a real privilege to be part of these children’s lives and share these special times."