76862-93YOUNGSTERS have been honing their football skills and making friends at a soccer fun week.

Organiser Chris Kirkland, 64, says that the coaching sessions in Wootton Bassett are all about having fun and mixing with other kids.

"The idea is to give them fun and football," he said.

"It's a developing process in terms of playing the game and also the social aspect.

"They come from different schools and we encourage them to learn to mix. We have boys and girls and we get the same ones coming again because they enjoy it so much."

The football lessons have been going on all week at the Wootton Bassett Town Football Club, the cricket club and St Bartholomew's School.

Mr Kirkland has been organising the sessions during the school holidays over the last 10 years.

Seventy youngsters, aged between five and 13, have been taking part with ten coaches to guide them in skills such as shooting, passing, dribbling, heading, turning and control.

Today is the final day of the course and the youngsters are scheduled to take part in a mini tournament. They will each receive a medal and a goody bag with either a lunch box, a football or a boot bag.

Community soccer sessions are also run every Monday at Noremarsh School, Wootton Bassett, at 4.45pm. For details call Ian Turner on 01793 872158.