EIGHT Leigh schools have taken part in a football festival that featured prominent community coaches.

Pupils from schools within the Leigh Education Action Zone, including St Peter's, Leigh CE, and Higher Folds, honed their footballing skills at the School Sports Co-ordinators Football Festival at the JJB soccer dome in Wigan.

Year four youngsters who took part were encouraged by students from high schools in Leigh and Wigan, who assisted in coaching and refereeing. Community coaches from Liverpool FC and Wigan Athletic also helped inthe coaching sessions.

Partnership development manager Bev Rose, who paid tribute to Leigh EAZ for helping to fund the festival, proclaimed it a huge success with both pupils and staff wanting more in the future.