STREET performers will dance on stilts as part of a North-East culture festival.

Neighbourhood Watch Stilts International (NWSI), a street theatre company from Newcastle, has been awarded £8,000 from Northern Arts towards the creation of a production of its version of Come Dancing, at next year's Stockton International Riverside Festival.

The award will enable the group of 16 performers to create 30ft puppets for part of the show. Come Dancing will interpret the style of the hit film, Strictly Ballroom, and will transform city squares into ballroom dance floors.

Paul Miskin, director of NWSI, said: "What is marvellous about receiving this grant is being able to afford the right materials that help to fulfil our imaginative vision. The support from Northern Arts enables us to compete on a global scale. These commissions have an additional investment bonus, as we will continue to tour the shows across the world."

NWSI was founded in 1993 and since then has taken part in more than 83 international tours and has performed in 28 countries, including Brazil, China, Japan, Poland, Romania, Iceland and Australia.

The next chance to see NWSI in the North-East, ahead of the 2003 festival performance, will come with a street event on Saturday July 6 in Hartlepool.