A FIVE-A-SIDE football competition for teams whose age adds up to 290 is just one event in a drive to get older residents of Teesside fit.

The March for Older People campaign began with a volleyball session for pensioners at Newport, Middlesbrough, yesterday.

All next month, anyone over 60 can enjoy free swimming, gym sessions, fitness classes or sports sessions at any council-run leisure venue. The activities are being funded by the Middlesbrough Primary Care Trust.

There is a dance event at the town hall when pensioners can learn to line dance or salsa, as well as the five-a-side competition.

"Even a little regular, gentle exercise can really boost someone's health and well-being, so this is a marvellous opportunity for older people to try a new activity, or maybe get back into the groove with sport they used to play,'' said Councillor Brenda Thompson, Middlesbrough Council's older persons' champion.

Peter Kelly, the trust's director of health improvement and public health, said: "Keeping fit helps you keep healthy, whatever your age, and to feel younger than your years."

The get-fit drive will also encourage people of all ages to exercise more regularly.

Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP Ashok Kumar was at Coulby Newham to encourage residents to increase their fitness by walking 10,000 steps a day.

Radio station 96.6 TFM is sponsoring the Ten Thousand a Day Challenge and providing thousands of pedometers with built-in FM radios free to people through community centres, health centres and council leisure centres.

Weight management sessions for people of all ages, including youngsters aged 16 and over are being organised in eight-week blocks across Middlesbrough.