SHOPPERS were shown some of the youngest talents in the world of dance music this weekend in Hartlepool.

Young DJs from the town joined music expert Kareem to mix tracks in the Middleton Grange shopping centre on Saturday.

The youngsters had been selected from a group which had attended a free workshop in the town to learn more about the art of DJ-ing.

The event, called Mixing Down the Mall, was organised by Generator, the North-East's music development agency.

The initiative was organised to take dance music out of clubs and to people who had never heard it before, as well as giving young people the chance to develop their talents.

Jim Mawdsley, of Generator, said: "DJing is now an art form and should be recognised in a wider public arena.

"We thought there is no better way to showcase dance culture than in shopping precincts, which give open access to everyone."

Next month, the Mixing Down the Mall project will move to Middlesbrough