DETERMINED the show must go on despite coronavirus – gutsy dance teacher Karen Yates and her pupils and family will be taking part in a charity tapathon to help raise cash for Children in Need.

The original tapathon was first held in 1993 for the Roy Castle Lung Cancer charity and the Christie hospital in Manchester and the Karen Yates School of Dance took part in the event with Roy Castle, Sir Norman Wisdom, the Roly Polys and the cast of Coronation Street.

Karen and her team also performed the following year in the event which saw tap dancers from across the country all tapping together for charity.

It was then put on ice for a few years before being brought back as a fundraiser for Children in Need.

Since 2015, however, Karen and her pupils have been taking part each year - and have been trying to break the record for the largest number of tap dancers dancing to the same routine at the same time all over the country.

They have not yet broken any records but Karen said: "We have come so close each year, but at least thousands has been raised for Children in Need."

This year, despite the coronavirus crisis, Karen, aged 55, and her pupils, plus mum Gwen, aged 81, and sister Nicola, aged 49, plan to try again - this time by taking part in a virtual tapathon on Sunday November 15 which will see dancers from across the country all tap dancing at the same time.

Karen, from Lye, said: "This year has been a strange year for everyone but the show must go on.

"My school has 88 pupils dancing virtually all over their houses, in their gardens, on their patios – you name it and my dancers are doing it."

Those taking part from the Karen Yates School of Dance range in age from two to 84 and Karen said: "I’m so proud of each and every one of them."

For years the brave dance instructor has braved pain and adversity to continue running her dance school which has been going for almost 40 years.

She suffers from a spinal cord injury, cauda equina syndrome, which has caused partial paralysis, but this hasn't stopped her raising more than £50,000 for charities over the years and this year alone she has raised nearly £1,000 for the BBC's Children in Need appeal.

This year's tapathon is particularly important to her, having lost her dad last year to dementia. She told the News: "This year the tapathon event means so much to me and my family."

Once again the aim is to set a world record and with each dancer taking part donating £10, Karen said: "Let's hope lots of money is raised from this huge tapathon event."