MORE than 200 children took part in the Primary Schools' Badminton Festival at the National Sports Centre in Douglas last week.

The festival, staged by the Department of Community, Culture and Leisure's sports development unit, was the most successful event of its kind to date with 17 schools taking part.

It was was organised as part of the primary school sports programme which offers opportunities in six sports to every primary school around the Island.

In the run up to the festival the sports development unit, in partnership with the Isle of Man Badminton Association, trained 33 secondary school pupils to achieve badminton young leaders status through Badminton England's Badminton Junior Helper Award.

From this, regional badminton cluster training sessions were organised at high schools over a five week period which were facilitated by the qualified young leaders and qualified club coaches.

These cluster sessions saw more than 380 children take part in the run up to the festival with the hope that some of them will continue in community clubs.

At the festival Rushen Primary won the girls' award and Ballacottier Primary School, Douglas, won both the boys' award and the overall schools winner award.

Badminton development officer Kerry Penswick said: "It's been great to see the developments with the badminton festival over the last two years and to see how successful it has become.

"The number of schools involved in the festival was fantastic and the young leaders and club coaches have been a significant help throughout the process."