BLACKBURN Rovers are helping a revolutionary reading scheme.

Along with other Premiership clubs, Rovers' education department has implemented the League's Reading Stars scheme to encourage adults and children to learn to read. The club will provide prizes and certificates.

Ten families have signed up for the scheme at Church library. Jean Wolstenholme, manager of young people's services at Lancashire County Council, said: "The Church programme involves a group of boys who are non-readers. There will be activities throughout the summer, many will be football-related but all are designed to encourage them to read."

Premier League Reading Stars is the result of a unique partnership between the FA Premier League and the National Literacy Trust initiative 'Reading the Game.' Each club has nominate a reading champion to recommend a book, then books are delivered to the host library. Rovers' champion is defender Craig Short, who said: "I've got two very enthusiastic daughters who love to be read to -- 'The BFG,' 'Harry Potter' and 'The Railway Children' are favourites." Craig nominated 'The BFG' as the children's book and 'Billy, the biography of Billy Connolly as the adult book.

The scheme was launched at Ewood Park where youngsters, pictured above, met up for an induction meeting.