Prancing pack of flash mobsters whoop it up in McDonald's

It may have been billed as balletic, but Hong Kong's first taste of flash-mobbing - the surreal trend now sweeping the world - was hardly Swan Lake.

Instead, it turned out to be a combination of prancing, hopping, napkin-waving and even 'woo-wooing' in unison as about 60 mobsters converged on a McDonald's in Causeway Bay's World Trade Centre last night. 'I didn't know people woo-wooed when they danced ballet,' one of the mobsters admitted with a laugh.

Flash-mobbing is a recent worldwide phenomenon in which strangers are mobilised via e-mail, SMS messages and mobile phone calls to congregate, act out a bizarre scenario then disperse.

During the minute of exuberant dancing, the rest of the restaurant virtually came to a halt. But one earnest young staff-member kept a steady eye on the French fries sizzling in the deep fryer.

The initial shock of two of the girls behind the counter quickly turned into bemused giggles. 'We have no idea what just happened,' they said after the crowd dispersed.

Participants arrived just after 9pm and gathered in small clusters, each with a white napkin in hand.