Family taking the lead as ladies of the dance

Four generations of a twinkle-toed Staffordshire family are strutting their stuff on the dancefloor.

At 78 years young, great-grandmother Beryl Coggins is still putting pupils through their paces at Stephaneta Dance School in Cannock.

Daughter Stephanie and grand-daughter Sophie have followed in her footsteps – and now two-year-old great-granddaughter Lyla has started learning her steps. The family's love affair with dance dates back to the 1940s, when Beryl began learning the skills which saw her launch a stage career aged 18.

In 1952 Beryl launched the Midland School of Stage Dancing. Known by her stage name, Mrs Charles, she has appeared at Wolverhampton's Grand Theatre, The Prince of Wales in Cannock and Gatehouse, Stafford down the decades.

Daughter Stephanie, now aged 56, was known as Miss Charles and the pair have kept those monikers for their teaching. Twenty-five-year-old Sophie goes by the name of 'Miss Sophie'.

The dance group, formerly based at the Avon Business and Leisure Centre in Avon Road, has secured new premises at Kingston Court, in Walsall Road.

Classes are on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays but the programme could be extended.

Mrs Coggins, who takes her stage name from her 79-year-old husband Charles, said she would carry on dancing as long as possible. "I'm very glad to be able to keep going like this," the mother-of-two said.

"All I've ever done it for is the enjoyment of it, and it's lovely to see the children get on and take their exams."

Grand-daughter Sophie added: "She's still fighting fit – she's brilliant. The children absolutely love her."

Classes are open to children as young as two, while the dance school also provides adult tuition.

Stephaneta Dance School offers zumba, ballet, theatrecraft, tap, modern jazz, freestlye, hip hop, line danceing and adult tap. The school offers dance for ad-ults with learning difficulties. Pupils also take part in the annual performance at Cannock's Prince of Wales Centre.