A SOCCER match to allow Bury Police to fuse greater links with the ethnic minority community is set to become an annual fixture.

And that will give local officers the opportunity to take their revenge after they narrowly went down 4-3 in the inaugural eight-a-side football game with youngsters drawn from the towns ethnic community.

The match was organised by the Asian Development Association of Bury (ADAB) and the occasion was also aimed at making youngsters aware of how to forge a career in the police force.

Bury mayor Councillor Barry Briggs kicked off the soccer match which was held at Castle Leisure Centre in Bury.

Imtiaz Khan, ADAB youth and community worker, said: "This is going to be an annual event. The youngsters who took part in the match were those from the ethnic minority community, and it allowed the police to build closer links with the ethnic community and to encourage the youngsters to take up a career in the police.

"We were delighted with the success of the eight-a-side match. It was a good bridge building exercise."