Poland wins Eurovision dance title

8:15am Monday 8th September 2008

Poland waltzed away with the Eurovision Dance Contest title while the UK trailed its feet and finished in ninth place.

Strictly Come Dancing pair Louisa Lytton and Vincent Simone represented the UK for the second outing of the dancing tournament on Saturday night, but proved no match for Polish dance couple Marcin Mroczek and Edyta Herbus.

Held at Glasgow's Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, each couple was made up out of a professional dancer and a national celebrity and had just two minutes to wow judges.

And while Lytton, 19, who plays Pc Beth Green in The Bill, and Italian-born partner Simone did not fare as badly as the UK in this year's Eurovision Song Contest in Serbia, where Andy Abraham's entry What If came in last, they did not race up the scoreboard as hoped.

Hovering around ninth place for much of the scoring, Lytton and Simone could only watch as Poland increased their lead with each of the 14 competing country's votes.

Ireland's couple Gavin O'Fearraigh and Dearbhla Lennon did not do much better, finishing in 11th position.

Carol Smillie delivered the UK votes to hosts Graham Norton and Claudia Winkelman, giving Poland the full 12 points, Lithuania 10 and Ireland 8.

Strictly Come Dancing judges Len Goodman and Craig Revel Horwood commented on performances throughout the show but the winner was finally decided by a public vote and a separate panel of judges.

Last year, Finland won the contest and Brendan Cole and Camilla Dallerup flopped, finishing second from last.

The top five acts were Poland in first place, Russia second, Ukraine third, Lithuania fourth and Denmark fifth.

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