Following national headlines warning of Morris dancing’s impending extinction, a busy troupe is appealing for new members.

Geoff Smith, squire with Woodchurch Morris, reckons that fears for the tradition’s future is not all hype.

He said: “We have been working really hard to attract new members.

“But we tend to get just one in five years -often it is someone who has moved to the village and drinks in the local pub and sees us there.”

The warning about morris dancing - which dates back more than 500 years - came from the Morris Ring, a national organisation representing more than 200 troupes.

It claims that the activity could eventually perish as young people seem uninterested.

Mr Smith, who has been with the Woodchurch side for all of its 19 years, is sympathetic to the view of a lack of willing by the young.

He said: “The dilemma is that we are very popular in the sense that we’ve got more requests to dance than ever.

“But what we don’t have is new recruits. The reason being, I guess, is that most young people are interested in things like football and going out on Friday night.”

Any anachronistic or unflattering ideas about morris dancing are wrong, says Mr Smith.

He said: “We are perceived, by some in the press, as beards and beer guts.

“But you have to be fairly fit to jump and down for half an hour without a break.

“Also, we raise a lot of money for charity.”

But with their youngest member aged 41, their oldest 68 and the average age about 55, no young new members seem to be on the horizon.

Its demise would represent a lamented hole in English tradition and culture.

Anyone interested in joining Woodchurch morris can contact Mr Smith on 01233 860330.