A ballet-loving Bradford girl has overcome family tragedy to land a plum role as the lead in the Nutcracker Suite in America.

Lori Gilchrist, 17, pictured, of Bolton Road, has just returned from a two-week trip to Philadelphia where she played the Sugar Plum Fairy - one of the most sought-after roles in ballet.

And the brave teenager says she owes it all to her dad who died two years ago in an accident at work.

The former Hanson School pupil spent Christ-mas at home in Bradford and said today her father Stephen has been her inspiration.

Lori, who has a brother Ben, said she has always received support from both parents.

"But I still think of my dad when I'm dancing," she said. "And I think how proud he would have been of me.

"He was, and still is, my inspiration."

Mr Gilchrist died at the age of 45 while doing a roofing job in Bradford.

He plunged 30 feet from a warehouse roof in Cutler Heights Lane and died from a fractured skull.

Lori and third-year pupil Robert Massey, of the Manchester-based Northern Ballet School were hand-picked from the organisation to star in the lead roles at the Harrisburg Dance Conservatory in Pennsylv-ania.

Lori said: "We did six shows altogether and the audience seemed to like it. We were called the guest principals.

"It was a brilliant experience."

Lori said she started dancing at the age of four and was hooked.

And the modest star-to-be said: "The role of the Sugar Plum Fairy is considered to be one of the hardest. I feel really lucky that I have been given the chances that I have."

She said her ambition is to become a professional ballet dancer.

Her mother Ann said she is very proud of her daughter.

"I don't know where she gets it from because there are no other dancers in the family," Ann said.

"She always wanted to dance, ever since she was a child.

"And she works really hard."

Lori's former dance teacher Pamela Gibson also praised her former star pupil.

Mrs Gibson, who has run the PM Gibson School of Theatre Dance in Cleck-heaton for 30 years, said: "Lori is an exceptional dancer.

"She won a full scholarship to the Northern Ballet School and they don't give them out that easily.

"I went to see her in her end-of-term performance at the school and she was beautiful.

"She was dancing parts that are normally reserved for third-years and she has only been there a year.

"She danced solo and was fantastic.

"We expect great things from her in the future.

"She is certainly the most gifted dancer I have had at my school."