'It's as if 'Strictly' has come to the village hall'

In her weekly column, Maddie Grigg shares tales from her life in rural Dorset . . .

I’M sitting here in Lush Places village hall, watching and listening to big band music at a concert organised by my neighbour, Mrs Bancroft, in aid of the church.

Up on stage, the band plays in front of a sparkly backdrop. There are white lights around the wall, interspersed in branches, and a small, portable laser light projects green stars and the like on to the ceiling.

The dance floor is empty until “Moon River” begins. Fifteen couples file through to the front and waltz around, as smooth as you like.

Mrs Bancroft gets up from her chair with her friend, Silv, from Swindon, and taps me on the shoulder.

“I’m going to be the man,” she says, as the pair of them head for the dance floor.

The hall is full of happy, smiling faces as the band plays on. From Bridport, the band was formed by the late Rex Trevett, the former head of music at the local secondary school and a jazz fanatic.

“Fancy a dance?” Mr Grigg says after about the third verse. He’s been busy working on the bar with Nobby Odd Job and Mr Loggins.