FOOTBALL, Brazilian samba rhythms and Teesside's musical youth came together at Middlesbrough FC's Riverside stadium yesterday.

Middlesbrough's Brazilian footballer Doriva watched a dance, music and football show performed by 120 young people from schools across the Tees Valley.

Children from Redcar, Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Darlington took part in the project to promote creativity and healthy living.

The youngsters, all aged between nine and 14, spent the week being taught soccer skills by professional coaches at Middlesbrough Football Community Centre, in Eston.

They were also taught how to play Brazilian percussion instruments and move to the rhythms of samba music in celebration of the football club's link with Brazilian players.

The event was organised by Creative Partnerships in Tees Valley, a Government-funded programme to improve children's creativity.

A Creative Partnerships spokesman said: "This was a unique event and a great success."

Involved in the project were children from West Redcar School and Wheatlands Primary School, Redcar; Linthorpe Primary School, Middlesbrough; Mount Pleasant Primary School, Beaumont Hill School and Corporation Road Community School, all Darlington; Holy Trinity Junior School, Stockton; and English Martyrs, Lynnfield Grange and West View primary schools, all in Hartlepool.