IF YOU have the steps of chart-toppers Justin Timberlake or Beyonce Knowles then now is the time to get your dance shoes on as the Daily Echo launches a new competition to find the south's Dance Idol.

Run in conjunction with Southampton City Council, the contest is open to children aged five to 16 who will compete first with their relevant age groups and then with other age groups to win the coveted title.

Children can enter completing the entry form published in today's Daily Echo. Entrants will then be sent a confirmation letter and a special T-shirt for them to wear at the heats.

The numbers for each age group - five to eight, nine to 12 and 13 to 16 - are limited so youngsters need to be quick to register to be in with a chance.

There will be two heats for the competition, which will take place at Bitterne Leisure Centre, Chamberlayne Leisure Centre in Woolston and St Mary's Leisure Centre in Southampton.

The heats will be followed by a grand finale which will be held at St Mary's Leisure Centre.

Each child who enters will receive a special goody bag as they are eliminated, with the overall winner of Dance Idol receiving ten weeks' worth of professional dance lessons - either ballet, modern, tap or jazz - from the Jane MacKinnon Dance School.

They will also receive a trophy, certificate, pair of cinema tickets courtesy of Odeon Southampton, a leisure voucher from Southampton City Council and £150 of High Street store vouchers.

Each child placed first in their age group will win a trophy, certificate, a pair of tickets courtesy of Odeon Southampton, a leisure voucher and £75 worth of High Street store vouchers.

Children placed second in their age group receive a trophy, certificate, pair of tickets from Odeon Southampton, leisure voucher and £50 of High Street store vouchers and those who are placed third win a trophy, certificate, pair of tickets from Odeon Southampton, a leisure voucher and £25 of High Street store vouchers.