Caradon council, along with 15 other councils throughout Cornwall and Devon, has organised a local Olympics for youngsters - the Eurobell Devon and Cornwall Youth Games which are to be held around Exeter on July l.

Representative teams from all the councils will compete in athletics, basketball, tennis, swimming, rugby, hockey, netball and football. The squads will be made up of girls and boys aged 12-14 years, competing in a mixture of able bodied and disabled competitions. An anticipated 2,500 young people are expected to take part, and the highest placed Cornwall and Devon team in each sport will then represent their respective county in a national grand final in Southampton on August 17-20. Over 50 youth games are to be held across the country, and the three-day event is to incorporate around 6,500 competitors making it the largest sporting festival ever held for young people.

Caradon has linked with secondary schools in Liskeard, Callington, Looe, Saltash and Torpoint, and some local sports clubs.

The council is still searching for swimmers to represent the district at the youth games. They would like under 13 (year eight) able bodied and under 14 (years eight and nine) disabled swimmers to contact them. The able bodied will not have competed in an individual event at the ASA district championships or have achieved the qualifying time for entry into the county championships. The disabled swimmers will not have competed in, or entered a national disability sport organisation swimming championships at national level in l999/2000. Coaching will take place at Lux Park leisure centre every Tuesday from 6.45-7.45pm, while a trial will be held on May 26 from 7-9pm at Saltash leisure centre. For further information contact Phil Brown, Caradon council's assistant recreation development officer on 01579 341026.