BURNLEY'S back gardens and parks have been alive with the sound of football as the town's dads tackled their lads in a major soccer event.

The six-week project organised by Lancashire County Council culminated in 180 fathers and sons representing nine primary schools tackling each other at Turf Moor Leisure and Community Centre. Councillors Tony Martin and Stephen Large watched the inter-schools event, which tested all of the skills learned by the family duos.

The Lancashire Dads and Lads project is an innovative scheme which links literacy with sports to encourage fathers to become more involved in their children's education.

The participating schools received a bag of equipment and activity cards together with a selection of sporting books.

Councillor Martin said: "This is a brilliant scheme that encourages dads to spend more time with their sons, and use their shared interest in sport to help their boys education."