STUDENTS from Germany have been practising their dance moves for a performance to honour five decades of exchanges between Middlesbrough and its twin town of Oberhausen.

The event will be open to invited guests only tomorrow, at 7pm, at the Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough.

About 200 current and past exchange students are expected to attend the evening, which will also include a puppet show.

All this week, 31 German students, between the ages of 15 and 18, have been practising their routines at Newport Settlement community centre.

Liz Amer, a lead worker at the Youth Exchange, said: "The evening is not just about the exchange, but about showing that young people can do good things. They are not all bad.

"The deputy mayor of Oberhausen is here, too, and a room in the town hall has been renamed the Oberhausen Room."

The students were officially welcomed to the town by Mayor Ray Mallon, who gave them each a gift pack.

They stayed two nights with a local family to ease them into a British way of life so they can compare it with their own lifestyles.

They have also been taking part in a range of activities, from rock climbing to mountain biking.

This week, they are taking a trip to Whitby to sea the seaside and sample the local fish and chips.

The University of Teesside has also been involved, inviting the teenagers to go on a tour of the facilities and join in a variety of activities.