A Jurassic summer is being lined-up for children, supporting underprivileged families in Burnley throughout the school holidays.

Registered charity, Burnley Leisure and Culture (BLC), are running dinosaur trails on three consecutive Thursdays in August, as well as a jam-packed schedule of school holiday activities.

Children will be able to venture on parkland tracks, look for dinosaur clues and information before getting to 'meet' the prehistoric animals.

The charity has secured funding from the government’s Holiday Activities and Food Programme (HAF) to buy a varied selection of 'dinosaurs' that include an animatronic T-Rex, which is capable of being operated with a joystick and camera to bring it to ‘life’.

Lancashire Telegraph: BLC staff Andrea Pollard and Darrel Lamont show off some of the dinosaurs the children will encounter this summer.BLC staff Andrea Pollard and Darrel Lamont show off some of the dinosaurs the children will encounter this summer.

HAF funding is aimed at children eligible for free school meals, and the cash can be used to pay for activities and meals for these pupils.

These include children who are less likely to access organised out-of-school activities; more likely to experience ‘unhealthy holidays’ in terms of nutrition and physical health; and more likely to experience social isolation.

Alongside the dinosaur trails, football and golf coaching will be the focus of BLC’s holiday club for seven to 11-year-olds at Prairie Sports Village in Burnley, while five to 13-year-olds will be entertained at St Peter’s holiday club.

Some of the funding will be paying for more than 220 free places for eligible children on the summer holiday camps as well as some new sports equipment - with 25 places per week – including a packed lunch for each child – on football and golf camps, and 12 places per week with lunches at St Peter’s holiday club. 

For non-eligible children, the cost is £12 per day, or £50 for a week-long booking.

Both clubs will run between 8.30am and 4pm each day.

BLC’s activities manager, Janet Roundell, said: “Our holiday clubs are open to everyone, up to a maximum of 36 children at each venue. Children can come for a day or the whole six weeks, and all of those with us on the days there are dinosaur trails will be included in that activity too.

“Both clubs are tried and tested and have earned us good reviews over the years.

"The football and golf camp will have a golf professional to share his knowledge and expertise, and all the football coaches have UEFA qualifications, two with links to academies.”

The dinosaur trails begin at the Memorial Park in Padiham on Thursday, August 4, followed by Thompson Park, Burnley, on August 11 and Scott Park on August 18 – all between 10am and 2pm.

For more information about BLC’s summer activities please visit the website.