A VIDEO featuring elderly people dancing with trolleys in the market place of a North-East town has become an internet phenomenon.

Since it was posted on video website YouTube, the dance featuring members of Growing Older Living in Darlington (Gold) has attracted tens of thousands of viewers.

The four minute film was shot by video artist Anton Hecht in Darlington market place.

Over 50,000 people have watched it on YouTube and it has also featured on the website of a national newspaper.

The performers dance a series of routines set to Dvorak's New World Symphony.

It was organised with the help of Darlington Borough Council and Darlington Partnership with funding from Northern Film and Media.

Gold development worker Lesley Compson said: "The finished video's really good.

"I just can't believe its proved so popular - the Daily Telegraph did a piece on it as well.

"The older people are delighted, it's given them their 15 minutes of fame.

"They still get people coming up to them saying that they saw them in it.

"It proves that old people can still be active and interested in dance and film-making.

"We've had some really good feedback from young people as well, I think they watch it and think, 'that could be my granddad and grandma'."

"Hopefully it sends out a positive image of older people."

The film will be shown at Gold events and also at Darlington Community Carnival this Summer.

Steve Rose, the chief executive of Darlington Partnership, said: "We're pleased as it's putting a positive image of older people and the town of Darlington across the world.

"We think that it's an incredibly positive thing that Gold have done.

"We knew that it was a good idea.

"The participants really took it on with a great deal of enthusiasm.

"No one had done anything like this before and theyve come out with such as positive result and of course it was fun."

London-born Hecht, who lives in Newcastle, is renowned for working in the community with ordinary members of the public.

His previous works include One Note Band, a virtual performance in which a composition is created by editing a series of untrained musicians playing a single note, and Blinking Ballet, using shoppers in Newcastle.