PRIMARY schools in Cumbria are to receive more than £2m of sports funding this year.

Furthermore, the government has secured funding until 2020 to give the county’s schools a potential £12m windfall over the next few years.

The Primary PE and Sport Premium will provide £150m to the country’s schools for activities such as hiring professional coaches and specialist PE teachers and buying new equipment.

It will also allow them to operate more after-school clubs, running holidays and weekend sports sessions.

The premium goes directly to primary school headteachers so that they can decide how best to use it to provide sporting activities for pupils.

Most schools are set to receive between £8,000 and £10,000.

South Lakes MP Tim Farron said: “It is fantastic to see the government acting to secure the Olympic and Paralympic legacy in our primary schools.”