Growing interest in traditional Punjabi dance contest

The Giddha contest involves teams of between eight and 13 dancers

Teams from all over the UK are due to attend a traditional Punjabi dance competition for women.

It will be the second time the national Giddha contest, organised by Mokesh and Sunita Mehmi, has been held in Telford, Shropshire.

Mrs Mehmi said she felt the Giddha tradition was being lost "so we wanted to bring that back".

Competitors are judged on their costume and jewellery as well as their dancing. The event will be held on 28 May.

The dances last no more than 13 minutes and are performed by teams made up of between eight and 13 people.

This will be the second year the national Giddha competition has been organised by Sunita Mehmi and her husband

Taro Kaur said the event was open to people of all cultural backgrounds

Sonia Shemar, who is helping to organise the event, said teams had been "practising for months now".

Ms Shemar said: "Every girl wants to join the Giddha after last year's event". Teams from Glasgow, London, Coventry, Wolverhampton and Telford have registered to take part.

Another woman helping to arrange the event, Taro Kaur, said the dancing was "very traditional", but it was open to all cultures.

"I've got English friends that want to come and one of them is wearing my outfit," she said.

She is also keen to include the younger generation. "I think everyone should embrace it and we're trying to get young girls to come forward."