FREE holiday club places are being offered to children in a borough who qualify for free school meals.

The Blackburn with Darwen Council programme will provide slots to pupils for the equivalent of at least four hours a day, four days a week, and for five weeks in school holidays during 2021.

This covers a week’s worth of provision in the Easter, four weeks in the summer, and a week during October half-term.

The clubs provide physical activity, a hot meal and fun, alongside education and support for parents and carers.

Sayyed Osman, Blackburn with Darwen Council's director of adult services, said: "The aim of the holiday club scheme is to encourage children to eat more healthily, be more active and to engage with activities through the holiday club. The scheme will also ensure children are safe and not socially isolated.”

Holiday club places are also available to children not eligible who can pay to attend.

There have been 1,502 registrations already with the first Easter holiday week fully-booked.