FOR many teenagers, waltzing with someone 60 years their senior in front of dozens their peers would be the thing of angst-ridden nightmares.

But not for one group of students at a County Durham school, who spent yesterday afternoon taking a crash course in the art of ballroom dancing in preparation for their annual prom.

Year 11 pupils at Staindrop School, near Barnard Castle, were put through their paces by swift-footed pensioners from the workingmen's club in nearby Evenwood, in preparation for last night's prom.

At first, the pupils looked on in horror as the experts showed them the moves for a Viennese waltz before picking out students to dance with.

But as the two hour session went on, the GCSE students soon got into the swing and took to the gym floor.

Before long, students, teachers and pensioners were gliding around the room to music.

Grant Phillips, 15, was the first of his year group to pluck up the courage to dance.

"Nobody else was doing it, so I thought I would.

"It only takes a few people to get into it, then it's okay," said Grant, from Toft Hill.

"At the end of the day it's just for a laugh."

Sophie Elliot, 16, said: "At first everyone thinks 'I'm not going to be able to do this.'

"But the people showed us what to do and I think a lot of people will have a go at having a dance at the prom."

Abigail Maughan, 77, was one of the pensioners who showed the students the moves.

She said: "Most of the young people now are more into disco music than this type of music.

"But I thought they did very well.

"It would be nice if some of them took up this form of dancing because, once our generation goes, there won't be anyone to continue this kind of dancing."

Headteacher Brian Kinnair said: "Our prom is a formal event so we thought it would be nice to have at least one song with this kind of music.

"I think the students were a bit unsure of what to make of it at first, but now everyone seems to be enjoying it."

Dancing takes place at Evenwood Workingmen's Club every evening, except Thursday and Sunday evenings, starting at about 9.15pm.