A WELSH dance company did its best to bring ballet to the masses, Billy Elliot-style, when it performed in an unlikely North-East venue last night.

The Cwmni Ballet Gwent brought ballet to Bishop Auckland, County Durham, with a performance of Romeo and Juliet at the town hall.

Choreographer Darius James, who trained at the Royal Ballet School, said: "It is hard. We are up against the Swan Lakes and Nutcrackers which fill the theatres every time.

"If people hear a Russia name, they think they must be good, but we are from Wales and people think we should be singing and playing rugby.

"We don't go for the safe options because we want to challenge the dancers.

"Having said that, we get a lot who are expecting to see tutus. You can see their knuckles on the seats when the show starts, but by the interval they are loving it."

The group does not get any arts council funding, so they tour constantly - visiting about 100 venues a year and performing five times a week so they can pay the dancers a decent wage