YOUNGSTERS from around the region took part in a festival of football to highlight the Kick Out Racism Campaign.

The five-a-side football tournament held at Haslingden Sports Centre was the very first of it's kind in the area and it is now hoped it will be made an annual event.

The event was sponsored by the LFA, Asian Sports Haslingden and Sport Rossendale.

Rossendale Borough Council's sports development officer Ibby Khan, was impressed with the turn-out.

He said, "It was great to see Asian and white players playing together and against each other because that is what sport is all about.

"The aim was to get more Ethnic Minorities involved in football and it was fantastic to see that more than 50 per cent of the players involved were from this group.

"We were all very impressed by the standard of football that was played on the day and it was played in the right spirit. The event certainly played its part in highlighting the Kick Out Racism campaign and now we will be looking to make it an annual event."

The festival attracted teams in four age groups -- under 10s, 12s, 14s and 16s.

All age groups were played on a round robin basis with the winners and runners-up playing each other in the finals.

In the under 10s final, Bury side Brandly's Home Warriors beat Rossendale United 3-0.

Brookhouse United from Blackburn won the under 12s event with a fine 4-0 win against a Hyndburn team.

But it was a lot closer in the under 14s final with Ballout United beating QPT Youths from Blackburn 3-2.

But QPT Youths did enjoy that winning feeling when they beat Bacup Town FC 5-2 in the under 16s final.