STAFF and friends of Bishopstone School are preparing to bring a little Latin flavour to Swindon's Christmas carnival parade next Sunday.

A dozen people from the village took part in a samba workshop at the school yesterday to perfect their moves for the event.

Until the summer, they were all complete novices but after performing at the town's City Festival several months ago, they are now becoming proficient in the exotic Brazilian dance.

Organiser, Susan Walton, said that the group formed as a community project.

"When we started we were all beginners and we hadn't got a clue what it was all about," she said. "We all found we enjoyed it and we're getting better all the time now."

The group which is taught by professional teacher, John Freisner, from the Bristol Samba Drumming School has another workshop on Thursday before the main event on Sunday morning, which starts from Regent Circus.