STOURBRIDGE salsa gran Paddy Jones’s chances of winning Britain’s Got Talent have been dealt a massive blow after she hurt her ribs while rehearsing.
The 79-year-old great gran had been guaranteed a place in the semi finals after judge Amanda Holden buzzed her straight through to the penultimate round of the TV talent contest by pressing her golden buzzer.
But the pint-sized salsa dancer, who used to run Paddy's Fabrics in Victoria Passage, sustained an injury to her ribs while practising her semi-final routine in Spain with dance partner Nicko Espinosa - who is 40 years her junior.
A spokesman for the show said: “ She has either cracked or bruised her ribs. We are waiting to hear back from the doctors and she is resting.”
Paddy's son Phil Jones, from Hagley, said: “It’s not as dramatic as they’ve made out in the papers but she’s not able to dance at the moment. It wasn't a fall, I think Nicko just held her a bit hard."
He added: "Britain's Got Talent were going to send a car to take her to Valencia to see a specialist."
But realistically he doesn't know whether his mother will be able to perform in Saturday’s semi final.
He said: "She's obviously disappointed they might not be able to do it."
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