THE Strictly Oxford 2017 glitter ball is in site as contestants enter their final week of rehearsals, and the competition is hotting up.

This year's 18 couples dancing in the weekend's charity competition will take on the last week of intense rehearsals for the final push to fine-tune their feet and perfect their poise.

But dancers are also hoping for a late surge in donations to help raise as much money as possible for this year's Strictly Oxford charities Vale House dementia care home and Oxford Children's Hospital.

So far, the competitors have managed to raise £14,000 through personal fundraising during the eight weeks of ballroom dance training.

This weekend will see the culmination of hours of practice as competitors teamed with their semi professional dance partners aim to impress the Strictly Oxford judges and take home the Strictly glitterball trophy.

Organiser Step by Step Dance School owner Andrzej Mialkowski said: "It's going very good we are now up to £14,000 for charity and everybody is working so hard.

"The freestyle group dances are almost ready and everybody is looking great."

This year the Strictly Oxford dance troupe will be taking to the stage of Oxford's New Theatre and performing four dances in total.

This includes all partners taking on a jive and American smooth waltz routine, plus five groups will perform a freestyle routine and the whole team will perform a salsa to close the show on Sunday.

Along the way amongst the glitter and sequins will be the judging panel with guest judge and former BBC Strictly Come Dancing professional Robin Windsor, joined by professional dancers Jennifer Benavidez and Kasia Miekus.

Dancers will be scored on their performances and the judges points plus an audience vote will determine which couples go through to the final and will be in with a chance of taking home the trophy.

Mr Mialkowski said: "It's is all very close and we don't know who will win as everyone is doing so well it will be very close.

"It will come down to how they all perform on the night."

There will also be a number of professional dancer performances including organisers Mr Andrzej Mialkowski and co-organiser Jo Wittich.

The show will start at 6.30pm on Sunday at the New Theatre in George Street and tickets are on sale up until the night.

The dance school has also thanked new Oxford nightclub Bar Fever in Magdalen Street, which is supporting the show and will host a celebratory party for all the dancers afterwards.

For tickets to the show atgtickets.com/shows/strictly-oxford-2017/new-theatre-oxford/