A SALSA club in Darlington is proving a popular venue for keen movers and lovers of the Latin dance.

But organiser Issy Crocker insists there are many advantages to taking up the steps - not least to lose weight after a season of excess eating and drinking.

"Salsa is a fabulous form of exercise, while being fun and sociable. I'm not good at pumping weights at the gym, I get bored, but this is a great way to get fit," she said.

Ms Crocker organises the weekly classes at The Lounge, in Darlington, every Thursday and enrolls the skills of Colin Piper as a salsa teacher.

"This is not a salsa aerobics class or a quick lesson into the basics, the way we run our class is to teach men how to lead and women how to follow while dancing," she said.

"Learning these skills will allow them to go anywhere in the world and be able to salsa with any partner."

The club night attracts men and women of all ages, ranging from their twenties to their late fifties, and includes practice sessions, dancing and time for a social drink.

Last Thursday's class pulled in 36 keen dancers and Ms Crocker said she is now on the look out for more male dancers to join in the fun and balance out numbers.

Beginners classes start at 7pm, improvers at 7.30pm and intermediates at 9pm. For more information call (01325) 363735.