Rival universities Oxford and Cambridge united on the dance floor to raise money for charity – and set a new record.

Sports clubs from around the country met at Wolfson College, Oxford, for the 12-hour non-stop salsa marathon on Saturday. Hannah Thomas and Mike Kuzmin are pictured practising.

Organiser Bea Prentiss, salsa instructor for Oxford University Dance Sport Club, said the 70 dancers set a world record for performing the Reuda circle dance — a feat that has never been attempted before.

She said: “We have a tremendous sense of accomplishment. It is only just sinking in that we have done something that nobody has done before.”

She added: “Normally, Oxford and Cambridge universities are vicious rivals on the dance floor so it was wonderful that they showed up to dance.”

Ms Prentiss is now considering trying to set the record for 24 hours of non-stop salsa.

She said: “I think we could have done it for longer, I don’t feel like I have gone 15 rounds with a heavyweight boxer. I feel absolutely fantastic – may be it’s still the adrenaline from the day.”

Groups of dancers took it in shifts to salsa, followed by an open evening where everybody could join in.

Ms Prentiss — who came up with the idea for a salsa marathon just after turning 60, the age that people can start suffering from Alzheimer’s — hopes to have raised £12,000 in sponsorship for Alzheimer’s research charity Optima.

Prof David Smith, founding director of Optima, attended the event to support the dancers.

He said: “I think it’s fabulous –and what’s fabulous about it is the connection between dancing and Alzheimer's’s, as our research shows that physical exercise can actually decrease the chances of getting the disease.” Picture: Jon Lewis