A group of girls are taking part in football thanks to a £26,000 scheme.

The project runs until September, with regular weekly sessions involving the Bolton Muslim School for Girls and Smithills, Sharples, Heywood and The Deane schools.

Jacinta Massey, sponsorship and community co-ordinator with CIS, said, "Last year we worked in ethnic areas around Blackburn, Newcastle and London on a similar project with boys. We see this project as a progression of that.

"We have chosen to work with Bolton as it is local to us, there is a high ethnic minority and Bolton Wanderers has a good ladies team."

The youngsters already taking part joined with new recruits at a launch evening held at Bolton Muslim School for Girls, on Swan Lane, Great Lever, and showed them the skills they had picked up so far.

The scheme is being run with the help of staff from the Bolton Wanderers Football in the Community project.

The money has been provided by insurance firm CIS and by Sportsmatch -- a Government funded organisation. If enough girls come forward to form a team, CIS will provide the kit and necessary equipment.