CHILDREN are to be given a sporting chance in a move to scrap junior charges for football, hockey and netball.

South Lanarkshire Council is to make all team sports free to under-16s in a £240,000 scheme.

Fees ranging from £7.59 to £22.10 per pitch will be waived in a bid to encourage youngsters into sport.

Statistics show 3600 youngsters - some 220 teams - use the council's 105 pitches every week.

Football, hockey and netball are all popular among youngsters in the area and in recent years there has been a significant rise in the number of girls' football teams.

Councillor Gerry Convery, chairman of South Lanarkshire Leisure Trust which runs leisure facilities on the council's behalf, said: "It's a figure that shows just how active a lot of our youngsters are.

"But we want more young folk to get involved in sport. That's why we have taken this decision."

The Hamilton-based authority has also agreed to enhance elderly people's access to sport and leisure.

All pensioners in the area will get free entry to leisure centres and free swimming lessons will be launched for over-60s.

Meanwhile, as the Evening Times reported on Monday, Glasgow has been promised hundreds of new sports facilities in a £25million deal.