A pole dance teacher hopes to climb to the top of her profession when she competes in the national finals next weekend.

Lisa Williams started pole dancing more than six years ago, and set up the Polevoactive dance company in Norbury last year.

After submitting a video application for the UK Professional Pole Championships in August, she was selected by a panel of six judges at the sell-out semi finals in Birmingham in October.

Now the 28 year old is hoping to achieve pole position in the finals, which will take place in front of a capacity crowd in the same city next Sunday, December 11.

She said: “I did a completely different routine for the semi final, and this time I have a brand new routine with a different costume and full of moves I did not put in before.

“I have had eight weeks to prepare – I have been training, training, training.

“It takes a lot of strength and poise being able to hold the moves for a good amount of time.”

She said other key attributes included musicality and flexibility.

Although the activity has a seedy reputation to some, she said: “The sort of women who come to the classes are normal women who work full time. There’s not really one profession.

“I have people from 17 to 50-55. At the moment I have got quite a few 50 year olds in my class who are on the higher level, and they are doing really well, just like people half their age.

“It just goes to show that it can really get you fit as well as make them feel quite empowered that they look quite good when they do it.

“It’s different shapes and sizes.”

To see how she gets on, visit ukppc.co.uk, and see polevocative.org for information about her classes.