DOZENS of football-mad children are preparing to take on the world for an end of season tournament.

Darlington's Football in the Community is running a ten-week training programme which will including a World Cup style tournament as its finale.

The football sessions take place every Sunday at Eastbourne Sports Complex. About 150 children, aged from seven to ten years old receive training from qualified coaches.

The children come from at least eight different ethnic backgrounds and will complete the programme with a tournament when they will represent ten different countries.

A similar tournament was organised two years ago by Central Community Partnership and has been run again following requests from parents.

Funding for the tournament came from County Durham Foundation, Darlington mayor Councillor Ian Haszeldines fund, Co-operative Fund and Darlington Borough Council.

Iris Pichl-Mordue, a volunteer with the Football in the Community programme, hoped to run the event every two years.

She said: "The aim is to break down social and racial barriers and prevent anti-social behaviour.

"The children have fund, learn from each other, build confidence and lead a healthy lifestyle."