AN 80-year-old man is dancing with joy after raising nearly �22,000 for the Waveney Centre in Beccles.Norman Crack, of Worlingham, made the phenomenal figure through his tea dances that he has been running at the centre since April 1997.

AN 80-year-old man is dancing with joy after raising nearly �22,000 for the Waveney Centre in Beccles.

Norman Crack, of Worlingham, made the phenomenal figure through his tea dances that he has been running at the centre since April 1997.

Entitled Norman's Monday Tea Dances, the dances have proved exceptionally popular over the years, sometimes attracting as many as 100 people and making �100 in one afternoon.

Mr Crack uses his own CDs for the event, and introduces each of the songs, with dances including line, sequence and ballroom.

He said he was proud to have raised the money. “It keeps me happy,” he said. “I make a lot of new friends.”

The Waveney Centre, a day care centre in New Market, celebrated its 40th anniversary last year. It is a charity, and relies on the hard work of volunteers.

Kathy Sayer, office assistant at the centre, said that Mr Crack's dances had been essential to keeping the centre up and running over the years.

“They're extremely important,” she said. “People love his dances, they really do. They're very, very popular. It's a regular thing, that's the most important thing. We have functions where we raise a lot of money, but that's a one off.”

Fay Baldry, secretary of the Waveney Centre, added: “Everybody loves Norman. He's very popular with everyone.”

The tea dances take place every Monday afternoon, including bank holidays, from 2pm to 4pm. The dances are free entry, and the money is made from the teas, coffees and raffle tickets on sale.

Mr Crack started the dances, which have made a total of �21,775.69, after he lost his partner Doreen. A friend from the Waveney Centre suggested that he start up the event, as he had even put on a similar one at the old Regal cinema in Beccles when he was a teenager.

As he grew up he became no stranger to the world of music, playing in his own dance band, The Cherokees, in the 1960s.

The Waveney Centre held a special celebration for Mr Crack two years ago, which marked the 10th anniversary of him starting his dances.

Mr Crack is a now a regular at the centre, playing bowls and snooker, as well as using their computers.

His recent 80th birthday celebrations raised �250 for the East Anglian Air Ambulance and �250 for the Beccles First Responders.