MORE than 50 primary school pupils will take part in a fencing festival next week.

The event, for year five and six pupils from schools n the Durham area, will be held on Tuesday at the British Fencing Centre, Durham, based in the city's Graham Sports Centre.

The centre is working with the Durham City School Sport Co-ordinator programme to give young people the chance to try the sport, which is not normally offered in schools. The initiative has led to fencing clubs being set up in 11 schools.

Partnership development manager Kath Rochester, of Durham Gilesgate School and Sixth Form College, said: "This is a tremendous opportunity for the young people of Durham City to take part in a sport which demands high levels of skill and discipline and is not offered as part of mainstream PE in schools."