Part of Botley will sound more like Detroit tomorrow as children and teenagers stretch their vocal skills with a beatbox workshop.

St Andrew's Church Youth Club, in Orchard Road, Dean Court, will reverberate with the hip-hop sounds and beats from Eminem's hometown as up to 30 people attempt to turn themselves in human beatboxes.

The American art form, which teaches people to make the sounds of a drumkit with their vocal chords, has become increasingly popular around the world since it was pioneered by American rappers in the 1980s.

Now teenagers in Oxford are going to get their chance to mimic the sounds of a snare drum and high hat after the church asked them what skills they would like to learn.

Church youth worker Ruth Hulse said: "We're really looking forward to this event.

"This is the first time we've done something like this - and we think the kids will have a great laugh. We did a survey of children in the area and they said they wanted to do this more than street dancing.

"You don't have to have any musical background to do it and the way it's taught, we think everyone will be able to make some beatbox sounds and get something really positive out of it."

The workshop is open to eight- to 19-year-olds and will culminate in a beatbox battle.

The classes will be run by beatboxing tutor Stuart Robson, from Bristol.

He said: "Although you can get the basics down quite quickly, to beatbox tightly takes a lot of time and practice."

The two-hour event is at St Andrew's Church Centre from 10am. About half the places are taken but if there is demand a second session will be laid on at 2pm. To take part, call Mrs Hulse on 07733 323290.