TALENTED local youngsters have shared £4,800 in cash awards, thanks to the Rotary Club of Horwich.

The annual Youth Achievement Award Scheme is aimed at helping people under the age of 19 from Horwich and the immediate surrounding area to develop their talent.

The club started its awards scheme in the 1970s since when more than £40,000 has been distributed to young people in the Horwich and Blackrod areas.

It grew so popular that two years ago the club restricted the scheme to youngsters who live, or attend school or college in the BL6 area.

The money is to be spent on the provision of equipment, coaching or tuition in sport, music, dance, drama, the arts or other fields of interest and is raised by the Rotary Club of Horwich at its fundraising events such as a beer festival and annual Christmas float.

The Rotary Club of Horwich say they are grateful to the people of Horwich and Blackrod for their generosity in helping them raise the money and believe the scheme is an excellent way of investing in the talent of the area's young people.

The club received a large number of good quality applications and made the following awards:

Higher achievement awards

Hollie Asquith – artistic roller skating, Jack Berry – handball, Holly Clark – trumpet playing, Nat Fidler – fencing, Charles Fletcher – handball, Niamh Howard – synchronised swimming, Eleanor Kay – swimming, James Kay – cornet playing, Lorcan Knowles – dinghy sailing, Abby Nicholls – dance and drama, Adebola Obasoto – tennis, Grace O’Keefe – drama, Evie Pendlebury – dance, Ella Sands – taekwondo, Kieren Waters –badminton.

Achievement awards

Adam Ashraf – badminton, Jacob Barron – golf, Emma Coyle – dance, Thomas Crookson – golf, Helena Flanagan – netball, Richard Flanagan – drums, Alexander Hardman – drums, Natasha Howard – synchronised swimming, Salma Johnson – dance, Joshua Nicholls – drama, Darcy Pendlebury – dance, Harry Phillips – handball, Adithi Prasad – piano playing, Freya Whittle – fell running, Matthew Williams – football, Morgan Yardley – football.