MORE than 80 performers have been left in the lurch after the venue for their annual show started to crumble.

Dancers from the Maclean Dance School were due to perform at the newly-refurbished Clydebank Town Hall in June.

However during a dress- rehearsal, the roof above the stage began to collapse, forcing organisers to call off the performance just hours before curtain-up.

Parents say West Dunbartonshire Council promised to cover any costs of re-staging the event, including accessories and costume hire.

It is understood the offer was later withdrawn and the group told they would have to submit details through an insurance claim.

The local authority is also understood to have proposed a new performance date of August 28, which has now been delayed causing more headaches for parents and school owner Margaret Maclean.

She said: "They have said they don't have that kind of money to hand us back and it can take forever with insurance.

"Obviously the costumes will have to be hired again and a lot of parents just don't have the money. It's causing a lot of problems. The kids have worked so hard. It's a shame."

The town hall was re-opened in May 2013 after £3.65million renovation work.

Around 80 dancers aged between five and 21 have practised for the last year in preparation for the performance, and have put in more than 400 hours of classes.

Angie Degnan said her 12-year-old daughter Emily was "devastated" the show was cancelled. She said: "They worked so hard for that."

The 40-year-old, from Knightswood, added: "We had done a lot of fundraising - bag packing, race nights, ladies nights - so a lot of the costs were subsidised.

"We won't have time to do all of that fundraising again - we are back to square one."

A spokeswoman for West Dunbartonshire Council said the August date had been a provisional one, adding: "The council is sympathetic and feel we have assisted them where possible. "

hannah.rodger@eveningtimes.co.uk