HUNDREDS turned out once again for Bolton Hindu Forum’s annual sports mela.

Families took advantage of the warm weather to take part in a variety of sporting events, including football, rounders, netball, badminton and table tennis at the event, which was held at Bolton St Catherine’s Academy, last Sunday.

An estimated 350 people took part, across all ages, while hundreds more watched on in a day of sporting fun.

And there were also opportunities for people to try their hand at a number of traditional Indian indoor and outdoor games, including kho, which is similar to tag, but is played in teams.

In the game, one team sits or kneels in the middle of the court, in a row, with adjacent members facing opposite directions.

The team that takes the shortest time to tag all their opponents wins.

At the end of each event, winners were presented with a trophy, while runners up received a medal.

Paras Agravat, Bolton Hindu Forum’s project development officer, said: “It was really successful. This is the fourth time we have held the event, and this was the biggest we have done. We had participants come from across the north of England.

“We try to promote sports which are culturally significant to us and maintain that by teaching the younger generation.

“The main idea behind it, though, is to get everyone together and there is no better way to do that than through sport.”

Bolton Hindu Forum also provides weekly sporting activities across Bolton. For more information on them call 01204 238 018 or visit the group’s Facebook page.