DANCERS from all over the country will compete for a new award this weekend to celebrate a Suffolk champion’s lifelong passion.

Ian Potter has presented a new trophy to the 32nd Felixstowe Dance Festival in memory of his late wife Joyce Potter, who danced all over the world, winning dozens of championships.

Around 600 dancers of all ages will take part in the festival at Brackenbury Sports Centre, High Road East, on Sunday, with competitors of all ages invited to take to the floor for Joyce’s cup.

Mr Potter, 79, of Elizabeth Way, Felixstowe, said: “Joyce had such a love and passion for ballroom dancing and I just wanted a way to celebrate her life.

“The idea of the competition for her cup is that everyone can take part to encourage everyone in that love of dance.”

Felixstowe-born Mrs Potter, who worked as a nurse at the Bartlet Hospital for 16 years, died last year aged 84.

She won the English Gold Star Championship, and danced at events in many countries, including Holland, France and Denmark in the 1960s and 1970s. In one event she and her partner scored a remarkable 99/100 in all five dances.

Mr Potter said: “She was living in one of the prefab houses in Orford Road at the time of the 1953 floods – she escaped but lost everything. She also had three bouts of cancer during her life.

“She loved dancing so much – it was her life and she put everything into it.”

Mr and Mrs Potter won 68 competitions together.