Among those showcasing their abilities for the first time at Sunday's rehearsal are these members of Young Ballet from Downham Leisure Centre.

The dancers will be performing the Spanish Dance from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite, and some will be wearing costumes once worn by their teacher, a former ballerina with the famous Russian Bolshoi Ballet Company.

"We are extremely lucky to have someone like Marina Vostok in Downham. She is so enthusiastic and so good at teaching a class of mixed abilities and ages," said Tricia Brooks, one of the dancers, who looks forward to the Saturday morning classes at Downham Leisure Centre.

"I've always loved ballet, but when we moved to the area after living in London and Cambridge,I remember thinking there's no way I'm going to find anything interesting in the wilds of Norfolk, only to find a former Bolshoi ballet teacher, no less!

"Marina has so much knowledge and the classes are great, whether you're an experienced dancer, someone who's just taking it up, or a dancer wanting to come back after raising a family," said Mrs Brooks.

The Sunday rehearsals at the Town Hall begin at 2pm and the Downham's Got Talent Show will be at the same venue, on Tuesday at 7pm.