Vanilla Ice and dance partner Katie Stainsby

An eight-year-old had her dreams come true when she was presented with a bouquet of flowers by her idol, American rapper Vanilla Ice, on the hit television show Dancing on Ice.

Oak Lodge primary school pupil Grace Ralston, from West Wickham, went with her dad to see the live ITV show on Sunday after her godfather won tickets in an auction.

After competing, Vanilla Ice skated up to the schoolgirl and presented her with the bouquet of flowers.

Her mother, Alison Tilbury-Ralston, said: “She couldn’t believe it.

“When he gave her the flowers she burst out crying. It wasn’t planned and it’s never been done before. I was really emotional when I saw it on television.

“I watched the whole programme looking for them and thought we missed them. Then suddenly we saw him skate off and give her the flowers and the cameras were on her for quite a while.

“If I had been there, I think I would have fainted.”

Grace is in a wheelchair after recovering from an operation on her hip following a diagnosis of Perthes Disease last year. The condition causes the softening and breaking down of the ball-and-socket joint of the hip

The schoolgirl is due to undergo a number of follow-up operations.