WEEKLY sports activities are to be provided for youngsters in Redcar and Cleveland who have learning and physical difficulties.

A consortium consisting of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's Sports Development team, the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership, Tees Valley Leisure and the parents associations of Kilton Thorpe Special School, in Brotton, and Kirkleatham Special School, in Redcar, has been working since January to get the project off the ground.

Sportsability is an inclusive games programme featuring activities and equipment specially designed for people with physical disabilities.

Neil Russell, the council's Youth Sport Development Officer, said he was delighted with the new scheme.

"It couldn't have come at a better time. In July, Sport England published the results of a survey of young disabled people's attitudes to sport and unsurprisingly, it found that sporting participation rates for young disabled people are much lower than for young people in general.

"We hope that in Redcar and Cleveland we can go some way to redress that balance. It is only fair that every youngster in the borough, whatever their ability, has access to regular sports activities."

Glynis Calvert, whose sons Daniel and Gary attend Kirkleatham School, has been heavily involved in planning the club. She said: "At the moment there is very little for our children in the borough as far as sporting activities go.

"It will be a chance for them to be with their friends and make new friends.

"Very often our children are left out of team games. It will be great for us parents to watch them all taking part on a level playing field."

The club meets at Redcar Leisure Centre every Saturday from 10am until noon from Saturday, September 15.

For further details call Mr Russell on (01642) 444398.