The show, which featured 16 dance pairs from all walks of life across the district, entertained packed houses at St Patrick's Hall last Friday and Saturday nights, to the delight of organiser extraordinaire, Deirdre Campbell.

Deirdre embarked on the fundraising event for personal reasons; she has been a patient at the Breast Screening Unit for the past four years and wanted to raise awareness of the life-saving work carried out by Mr Stephen Dace, the consultant surgeon and his team, as well as raising a fabulous amount of money for the Unit.

Earlier this year Deirdre enlisted the help of the McDevenney family - well-known ballroom dancing experts from Derry - to train 32 brave volunteers in the art of waltzing and the cha-cha-cha.

Known as 'Deirdre's Dancers' the troupe spent 13 weeks rehearsing before unveiling their moves in public, sashaying their way around the dance floor in front of highly apppeciative audiences on both nights.

They all did a fantastic job but special mention must go to St Mary's Boys' principal, John 'Twinkle Toes' McGinley, and St Pat's Hall caretaker John Francis Gallagher who were firm favourites with the crowd. Mr Dace and his wife were among the audience on Friday night, together with some of the staff from the Breast Screening Unit, and they clearly enjoyed the spectacle.

There may have been a few nerves among the dancers but they strutted their stuff in style, ably encouraged along the way by the cheers of the crowd. Compere Paul Mullen and Oonagh Devenney - Strabane's new answer to TV's 'Strictly Come Dancing' hosts Bruce Forsythe and Tess Daly - did a fabulous job on the night.

Members of the Devenny family - brothers Anthony and Joseph and sisters Rosemarie Mullen and Genevieve Devine - also performed a ballroom dancing set, perfected by years of experience at professional competition level up and down the country.

There was also a line-dancing display by Paul and Rosemarie's 13-year-old daughter, Sarah-Jane Mullen and a Bollywood display by Natasha Sharma.

A judging panel was in place - Pastor Clive Johnstone, Kiran Sharma, Lesley Shiels, Ann Quigley and Fr Declan Boland - but it was decided that instead of choosing an overall 'Come Dancing' winner, the one and only winner should be the Breast Screening Unit.

Mr Dace helped present the dancers with medals to mark the occasion and paid tribute to Deirdre and all those who organised the highly successful event.

Speaking to the 'Journal' afterwards Deirdre described the whole experience as being "out of this world."

"It was fantastic to see so many people from different backgrounds, different cultures and different areas of the town enjoying each other's company," she said.

'Come Dancing' has raised in excess of £10,000 for the Breast Screening Unit with more donations still pouring in.