Pupils wrestle with new subject

9:44am Wednesday 12th September 2007

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Pupils could soon be getting to grips with a new subject' which is about to feature on the extra curricular activities of a Chorley high school.

Students at Albany Science College were treated to a display of Olympic freestyle wrestling on Monday and organisers are hoping it will tempt them to take up the sport themselves.

The school invited expert Eddy Kavanagh and fellow wrestlers from his Bolton club to put on the display and to tell pupils more about the sport's history.

Eddy said: "It's a very physically demanding sport that teaches etiquette, respect and balance. It involves every part of the body and requires complete fitness."

Eddy, aged 39, has won a string of competitions, including last year's Welsh veterans title.

He was also placed second in the Irish Championships three years ago.

Wendy Johnstone, newly-appointed extended schools manager for Albany, said: "We're looking at introducing a range of courses and activities at the school that will appeal to all ages and tastes.

"There'll be subjects like IT, of course, but we thought it would be good fun to introduce some more unusual things.

"We hope some of the pupils will be keen to take up the wrestling and if that's a success, we'll open it up to the community."

The extended schools programme is a government initiative to open up schools to the community, allowing the buildings to get full use.

The programme will be officially launched my MP Lindsay Hoyle at a community open day at the Bolton Road site on Saturday, September 22.