Dance fans receive new lease of life

Couples can once again take to the floor for a popular Black Country ballroom dance that stopped when its venue of 70 years shut in the summer.

The event used to attract hundreds of people from across the region to its former home at Willenhall Leisure Centre, which closed in August.

But now regulars are being invited to waltz the night away once again at Bloxwich Leisure Centre which is opening its function hall to dancers on the last Saturday of every month.

Bloxwich centre manager Karen Jinks said: "It used to be held at Willenhall every Wednesday and Saturday and used to attract up to 100 people including groups from all over the Black Country.

"They were very disappointed when they had to stop dancing at Willenhall and have been looking for somewhere else. I had meetings with some local councillors and we have decided to open up our function hall, which has a capacity for 350 people."

One dance has already been held which attracted 54 people. It is now hoped the numbers will grow for the next event on October 30. Juniors are also being welcomed to the new weekly dance, which includes ballroom and sequence, and runs from 7.30pm to 11pm.

Admission is £4 for adults and £2 for juniors and access to the function hall is via Field Close. There will be no dance in December.

The relaunch follows the revival of another sequence dance group which used to meet at Willenhall Leisure Centre. It is now being found a new home at Darlaston Town Hall. Frank and Betty Smith had been putting people through their paces for more than 30 years at the Bath Street centre.

The sequence dancers were forced to leave Willenhall when its main hall and gym were shut in May.