DANCERS from a local ballet group are set to feature on ITV's Tonight programme this evening in a segment which discusses why people are living longer.

Members of the Janet Lomas School of Dancing's Silver Swans ballet classes for the over 55s will appear on 'How To Age Well?' hosted by actor and musician Martin Kemp.

The programme includes interviews with the Silver Swans and their teacher, Johanna Hadley, and shows the ladies dancing at home in their lockdown online ballet classes.

It explores how people are living longer but are not always in the best of health.

The Silver Swans show how they are using their ballet classes, which are specially designed for the over 55s, to keep moving and active during lockdown.

The footage of the Silver Swans was filmed remotely and focuses on their new online classes.

Silver Swans dance teacher, Johanna Hadley said: "At the start of the pandemic, we made the decision to take all of our classes online. It's been wonderful that everyone has been able to keep exercising from their homes in lockdown.

"As our classes are live on Zoom, we can all still talk with each other – just like a normal class. We've had a wonderful response to the classes and now even have people joining our classes from across the UK and abroad."

Before lockdown, more than 100 Silver Swans travelled to the Janet Lomas School of Dancing at Blackford Bridge United Reformed Church on Manchester Road for classes each week.

The classes have no upper age limit and see a wide range of people attending the classes, from complete beginners to ex-professional ballet dancers.

When lockdown ends, the school intends to run online classes alongside in-person classes because of the positive response to their online programme.

Silver Swan Maureen North, 71, said: "When I started Silver Swans I was waiting for knee replacement surgery.

"After surgery Johanna helped me to adjust the exercises to assist my recovery. Everyone is very friendly and as well as improving fitness, the classes improve mental health."