USERS of centres for people with learning disabilities have been raising money to help send members to this year's Special Olympics.

The Oaks Centre, in Newton Aycliffe, was the venue for a "dance-till-you-drop" sponsored event yesterday.

Users of the nearby Acorn Centre joined in the four-hour dance marathon, which raised hundreds of pounds.

Each of the centres run by Durham County Council's social services department will be holding similar events.

County Durham Care has been allocated five places at the Special Olympics, to be held in Dublin, in June.

Helen Smith, who uses the Aycliffe centre, will represent Great Britain at football as a goalkeeper.

She will be joined in the eight-strong team by Susan Hakin from the Crook and Wear Valley unit.

Billy Moss, from Auckland Gate, Paul Kerwin of the Jubilee Centre, Spennymoor, and David Bewick, of the centre in Stanley, are also going to Dublin in one of two five-a-side teams.

The competition has attracted more than 7,000 competitors from 162 countries.

The money raised from the sponsored events will also go towards paying for training and other events, including the national athletics championships, later in the year.