THOUSANDS of Wiltshire children will converge on the city of Bath this weekend.

Organised by the Wiltshire and Swindon Sport Partnership, the University of Bath will host the Wiltshire Youth Games in which primary and secondary school children will compete in a wide range of sports TAG rugby, basketball, athletics, Kwik cricket, hockey and girls' football.

The teams taking part on Sunday are Swindon Borough, North Wilts, West Wilts & Kennet and Salisbury, with hundreds of children taking part from each council authority.

Several qualifying competitions have been held, while other teams have been selected by the authorities, and for the first time specialised needs youngsters will also be taking part.

The event has replaced the old Western Counties Youth Games and will kick off with an opening ceremony before action commences around the campus.

Steve Silk, sports development officer for North Wilts, said: "It's a long, very busy, but rewarding day. With the children, teachers, council officers and parents, there'll be thousands of people there.

"It's a huge day in the Wiltshire sporting calendar.''

Among the North Wilts schools taking part will be St Peter's and Derry Hill (cricket), Corsham Primary and Stanton St Quintin (Tag rugby), Sheldon, John Bentley, Calne (girls' football), Braden Forest and Amesbury (basketball) and Calne's Springfields School (specialised needs).

Swindon Borough will field selected representative teams in the athletics and basketball, with Sevenfields and Goddard Park taking part in the cricket, Dorcan, Warneford and St Joseph's in the girls' football, Oliver Tomkin's in the hockey and Ruskin and Wanborough competing in the Tag rugby.