A song once performed by Bing Crosby is being revived in the region by the granddaughter of the Maori who penned the song's arrangement.

Tai Tipuna is a member of a New Zealand dance and music troupe performing at the Billingham International Folklore Festival.

The song, Now Is the Hour, is known as the Maori Farewell Song, and was a million seller for Crosby, but Maori song arranger Tony Grace never received any credit.

In 1913, the New Zealand sheep-shearer radically rearranged the traditional song and turned it into a waltz - and the tune became famous among the Maori population.

Later, a lyricist wrote English words and it was taken up by British music hall entertainer Gracie Fields. Her US agent then gave it to Crosby.

"Poor old Tony Grace didn't get any credit, but thankfully his family can still tell his story," said Billingham Folklore Festival spokesman Keith Proud.

The Maori group, from the Whitby suburb of Wellington, New Zealand, will be taking part in the festival tomorrow. Among them will be the festival's youngest performer, five-year-old dancer Dominic Robati.

Other children who have been enjoying the show are the Bullock sisters, Alana, 11, Rhiannon, ten and Bethan, eight, who travel from Cornwall with their grandmother every year to dance with the performers from around the world.

Dance groups from Panama, France, New Zealand, Latvia and Haiti will be performing at the Billingham town centre arena from 2pm or in Billingham Forum Theatre if it is wet.

At 7.30pm, there will be performances by troupes from Montenegro, France, Taiwan and the Ukraine at The Forum theatre.