A FOOTBALL club has been set up in the Highfield area of Farnworth to give kids a sporting outlet.

Highfield FC have two teams who will play in the Bolton and Bury District Junior League next season.

The first team to be set up was the under-11s with an under-10s team established this week. It is hoped that the club will have under-7s, under-8s and a girls team within two years and their own pitch, clubhouse and changing rooms in the future.

They have been helped by grants from the Football Foundation and The Duchy of Lancaster, sponsorship from JEM Tyres Farnworth, New Edition Bedrooms, Davroc Distribution plumbing supplies, Seddons Construction, Provincial Insurance Company Trust and donations from Fosters Brewery, Lever Brothers Garage, Anthony Axfords and The Farnworth area Pool League.

The under-11s are managed by Trevor Ball who is the cousin of the late England World Cup winner, Alan Ball.

His wife, Mandy, is the club secretary and she says the club was set up to help kids in the area. "We wanted to give the kids of Highfield something to do which would help to keep them off the streets," she said. "If nobody does anything then it won't get done so we decided to do it."

Trevor said: "I have lived here since I was eight and although the area has produced some very good footballers we have never had a team.

"It's about time someone started one."