SPORTS volunteers Craig Robinson and Ian Ronald have been rewarded for helping local primary schools stage sports events.

The pair, both pupils at Chester-le-Street's Hermitage School, received their awards from Leeds United footballer Steve McPhail.

They were acknowledged for completing the Youth Sport Trust Millennium Volunteers initiative - a Government-led programme designed to encourage youngsters to become active volunteers.

Brian Holmes, from the Millennium Volunteers Trust, was also honoured.

Under the scheme, full-time students aged between 16 and 19 carry out up to 200 hours of sports-related voluntary work, including planning and staging festivals of sport or dance for their local primary schools.