No can do, say can-can dancers of Paris Lido

The Paris Lido denied yesterday that it was overworking its scantily-clad dancers after a group of can-can girls walked out of the celebrated Champs-Elysées nightclub minutes before the curtain went up.

"This was a one-off incident and we hope it will not be repeated because we don't think it was justified," a spokesman said.

Nine of the club's cast of 44 dancers staged the walkout on Saturday. Replacements were found for some of them, but "there were a few unfortunate gaps in the line-up", the spokesman admitted.

The dancers, famed for their plumes, sequins, high-kicks and generally bare breasts, usually perform two shows a night, six nights a week. They complained that they were overworked, were not paid for rehearsals and risked permanent injury.

The 1,100 seat club, which charges up to €160 (£100) a ticket, said some of the dancers who had protested were among a number of employees whose one-year contracts it had recently decided not to renew "for artistic reasons".

The incident follows claims last month that the equally celebrated Moulin Rouge nightclub in Pigalle was guilty of racial discrimination in selecting its staff.