PENSIONERS will be dancing to new sounds at their tea dance thanks to a grant from a bank's charity arm.

The Silver Courts tea dance, held in the Silver Courts communal hall in Brandon, has been given £100 by Barclays' Club Grant Fund.

The group will use the money to buy new records, as well as new kettles.

The fund has given £20,000 to Age Concern England, which has given grants to pensioners' organisations up and down the country.

Age Concern Durham County's development worker, Ian Hunter, helped the group apply for its grant.

Tea dance treasurer Edna Jackson said they were delighted to get the grant.

"This will enable us to provide a valuable social activity for older people in the area.''

Alice Wilcock, Barclays' head of community affairs, said: "Through our corporate giving we aim to try to make a real and lasting difference to people's lives.''

She added: "We are delighted to be working with Age Concern and hope that our grant to the Silver Courts tea dance will make the time older people spend there even happier.''