A regional daily business editor performed a break dance for a crowd of more than 100 after learning the skill in just one month.

Plymouth Herald journalist William Telford was challenged to learn how to break dance in order to prove that someone aging and unfit” could be turned into a dancer.

The challenge was set by Toby Gorniak, who runs Plymouth’s award-winning Street Factory CIC hip hop company.

During his month of training, William completed three hour-long sessions each week, and was even donned with the break dancing nickname ‘B-boy Bizz’.

In a piece about his experience for the Herald, William wrote: “[Mr Gorniak’s] idea was to show that even someone like me: aging, unfit, and with as much grace and rhythm as a drunk hippo tumbling down a flight of stairs, could be turned into a dancer.

“You think Ann Widdecombe was bad on Strictly? Before Toby got hold of me I was probably worse, though I’ll never know because I only ever set foot on a dance floor if it was situated plum between where I was sitting and the bar.

“I didn’t even own a tracksuit or a pair of trainers. But, deep within my core, I yearned to be able to strut, step and sway. Who doesn’t?

“So when Toby threw down the gauntlet I picked it up and slipped it on. It fitted like a, er, glove. I was in.”

William, pictured on stage, added despite experiencing “pain, exhaustion and some humiliation”, that “Toby got me fit, in shape, and boosted my confidence like you wouldn’t believe.”

He wrote: “And then I was in the spotlight. My routine was far from perfect, I felt my right calf ping early on and lost my step, I slipped on my corkscrew and my pretzels were never a thing of beauty to start with.

“But I kept going, got the crowd behind me and pulled of a decent baby freeze and shoulder freeze to close my routine, and brought the house down.

“As I limped backstage I had my asthma inhaler in hand – and a big smile on my face.”

Mr Gorniak said: “I was blown away with William’s hard work and talent “What he achieved in four weeks of training exceeded all my expectations – he smashed it.

“And he can’t wait to continue our B-boy journey.”