IT WAS games galore as a group of disabled performers brought Olympic and Paralympic sports to life.

The group from Ridgeway Day Centre, Weymouth, were greeted by shouts, cheers and flag waving as they recreated sports including archery, the beam, synchronised swimming, weightlifting, dressage and gymnastics.

All the performances as part of the piece entitled Games Galore were set to music.

The dressage saw performers ride horses made out of swimming floats, with cardboard heads and socks and gloves for tails.

During the archery, performers wore targets and were chased slowly round the dome by wheelchairs with large arrows on the front to laughter and cheers from the audience.

The finale featured sailing with two large fabric boats with all the performers in, the packed audience at the ICCI 360 Dome waved their arms and sang along to ‘We are sailing’.

Drama teacher at the day centre Peter Wilson said that the group did several performances a year and had been working on the latest creation for six months.

He said: “It went very well. The important thing is the guys enjoyed it and that’s why we do it.”

Performer Angie Ryan was the commentator for the event and announced all the events.

She said: “It was absolutely fantastic, really good.

“We worked really hard on the production.

“It’s one of the biggest things we have done.”

She added that everyone had really enjoyed themselves.

Business support and development manager for Dorset County Council Alison Rumble said: “I think it was amazing. The service users obviously enjoyed it tremendously. I think it’s good because it gives them a voice.”

She paid tribute to the staff at the Ridgeway Day Centre for the time and effort they had put in to bring the production to the ICCI.

Weymouth and Portland Mayor Margaret Leicester watched the performance and said she had really enjoyed the humour.

She said: “I thought it was marvellous. It’s nice to see youngsters and those who are older with disabilities being given the chance to do things we all take for granted.”

She added that everyone had been so happy and obviously enjoyed themselves.

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council spokesman for social inclusion, Kate Wheller, said: “It had a real sense of humour to the whole thing.”