EXCITING plans are afoot for school sports facilities across North Somerset.

The Government has announced it will be launching a �1billion strategy for every secondary school to receive cash for a community sports club.

It is part of plans to encourage young people to take up sport - as outlined in the 2012 London Olympic Games bid. The money has been pledged principally by the National Lottery.

Under the five-year youth and community sport strategy, Sport England will help set up 4,000 clubs where expert coaches will run sessions to create ties between schools and existing sports clubs.

With the Government funding, a total of �100million will be spent creating the new clubs and tackling a drop-off in participation when youngsters leave school.

Culture secretary Jeremy Hunt said: “Our bold approach will see money going to organisations that deliver on youth participation, but also withdrawn quickly from those that fail to meet agreed objectives.”