In partnership with Brownedge St Mary's Sports College and Worden Sports College, the council's development team is delivering table tennis sessions for local youngsters in a bid to widen access to the overlooked sport, which is not currently available as part of the national 'Sport Unlimited' programme.

Sport Unlimited is part of a £100m government campaign designed to kick start getting more children involved in sport that interest them outside of their school.

The coaches have identified in recent months that the popularity of table tennis is on the rise when it comes to local young people, but there are few opportunities to try it out.

Thanks to funding the team has secured from Sport England, the council has enlisted the skilled services of Julie Williams, a keen table tennis player who represented the country in Europe whilst at school.

Julie now has the key task of working with local secondary schools to widen access to table tennis.

She is also hoping to get two new community clubs off the ground at Lostock Hall Community High School and Arts College and Wellfield Business and Enterprise College on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from 5pm till 7pm.

Council leader Margaret Smith, said: "The feedback we have received from the school sessions has been positive and we hope that Julie's skills and enthusiasm will encourage more youngsters to take up this new sport."

For more information about the activities that the sports development team are organising or a schedule of upcoming festivals, then call please 01772 641 634 or email sports@southribble.gov.uk