NEW leisure opportunities could be opened up to children living in rural communities thanks to money from the Countryside Agency.

The £13,178 grant will enable youngsters to be transported by bus to summer holiday sports activities at Kendal Leisure Centre during the year-long trial venture.

South Lakeland District Council is to recruit a coordinator to work two days per week organising the project.

In a report, Cabinet members heard children from areas such as Sedbergh, Arnside, the central Lakes and Kirkby Lonsdale would be taken by bus to Kendal Leisure Centre, and it was hoped that communities would gradually take over the venture by putting on their own community minibuses and voluntary car schemes.

Coun Bob Bolton welcomed the project but was unhappy that young people in communities such as Broughton-in-Furness, Kirkby-in-Furness and Low Furness were not being included.

Sports development officer Louise Airey explained that Ulverston's leisure centre had not been included in the project because it did not have indoor space, so the first phase of the project just involved Kendal Leisure Centre.

She said activities would be offered for two weeks in the summer holidays, and two days per week during other holidays.

Coun Barclay Stainton praised the project as "brilliant" and asked how it would be promoted.

Councillors heard that a launch was to take place before summer, and the project coordinator was also hoping to visit schools.

The activities will be open to children aged eight to 12.

Coun Elizabeth Braithwaite was concerned about children's safety, and felt parents and guardians might be unwilling to let their youngsters go off on buses unaccompanied.

Councillors heard that only people with relevant qualifications and police checks would be used to transport the children.

The project will cost SLDC £ 4,393 over the year, and the money is to be diverted from existing budgets.

Backing the scheme, councillors stressed it was a year-long pilot, and there was no commitment to extend it unless the Countryside Agency gave funding for another year.