HEREFORD came alive as celebrities and amateur dancers took to the floor to raise more than £20,000 for the Cathedral's Perpetual Trust.

Former Bond girl Fiona Fullerton joined fellow stars of the stage and screen John Challis, Sue Holderness and John Standing as the celebrity judging panel of Hereford’s own Strictly Dancing gala on Saturday night.

Ten couples, who have been training since early this year, took to the dance floor in front of a packed audience of more than 400 guests at thePoint4 centre.

Fiona Fullerton, who starred in the 1985 James Bond film A View to a Kill and appeared on Strictly Come Dancing last year, said being a judge was the least she could do for such a “great cause”.

“We thought it would be quite fun to have a weekend in Hereford. And of course the whole Strictly experience is rather unique. The sheer panic you go through is absolutely unbelievable,” she said.

The evening saw the 10 couples perform a Charleston group dance, followed by each couple dancing to something of their choice – ranging from American Salsa to a Viennese waltz.

Speaking to the Hereford Times ahead of the dances, Only Fools and Horses star John Challis – who lives in Wigmore – said he was looking for “a bit of flair and artistic licence”.

“The cathedral is part of my life – it’s a wonderful place and such good works are done there,” he said.

“I live in an ancient building myself so I have a lot of sympathy for what the trust is trying to do.”

The winners on the evening were Mark and Sarah Harper who danced a jive to Olly Murs' Dance with Me Tonight.

Event coordinator and dancer Erica Manley said: "Although each table voted for the couple they wanted to win we all had such fun training and taking part on the evening, we would like to think that we are all winners.”

The evening, supported by South Hereford Garages, will have raised more than £20,000 in support of the work of the Perpetual Trust and its support of Hereford Cathedral.

 

  • For more photographs of the evening visit www.richardweaverphotography.co.uk