Mansfield Rotary Junior Showtime returned after a three-year, pandemic-enforced absence for a 46th edition.

More than 85 acts competed over three nights of heats, before 25 went through to the finals at the Palace Theatre, Mansfield.

Pictured are winners Divinity, an Excelsior Dance Studios troupe, with pictured with final presenters Rotn Paul Bacon and Katie Trinder (right), and the president of Mansfield Rotary, Karen Johnson (left).

In second place place was vocalist Macey Shaw, of Star and Stage, Huthwaite. Students from Ashfield School, Kirkby, Scarlett Williams and Connie Brown, performed a vocal duet in third place.

Judges Maureen Kennedy, Sarah Swain, Roger Brown and Ashley Booker praised the high standards achieved throughout the competition after the three-year gap because of covid.

Paul Bacon, who also organised and produced Junior Showtime for a 30th time, said: “It’s great to be back.

“It was good to see we were performing in front of a full-to-capacity audience at the Palace Theatre.”

Co-host Katie Trinder added: “I loved every minute.

“It was so good to see so much amazing local talent.”