AFTER years of encouraging a district's youngsters to take up sports, cricketer Darren Brown has taken on the role of managing two school sports halls.

He now runs identical facilities at Bishop Barrington, in Bishop Auckland, and Wolsingham School and Community College, which are used by pupils during lesson times and opened up to outside groups at evenings and weekends.

Bishop Auckland Cricket Club is one of a number of teams using the hall for indoor nets, while the town's netball club plays there on Monday nights.

Primary school children join in a number of activities on Friday, from 4pm to 6pm.

Mr Brown said: "We are now looking ahead to Easter and the summer."

Mr Brown worked for Wear Valley District Council for 14 years, and is Willington Cricket Club's development officer.

For more details, telephone Bishop Barrington on (01388) 459468 or Wolsingham School on (01388) 527302.