FIVE schools have proved they are at the top when it comes to sport.

Highfield Primary, Chorley St Mary's, St Peter's and St Paul's, Brindle St Joseph's and Euxton St Mary's have become the first schools to deliver the Community TOP Programme in Chorley.

The TOP Play and TOP Sport Programme is a national project funded by the Lottery Sports Fund and managed by the Youth Sport Trust.

It is designed to be used by local communities to develop sporting opportunities for young people aged four to 11 years as well as providing training opportunities for people involved in the delivery of the programme, quality sports equipment, resources cards and support material for young people.

The five schools will deliver the programme as part of existing out-of-school sports projects or to establish new sporting opportunities for young people.

Schools across Chorley have been delivering the programme as part of the National Curriculum but until the appointment of the Borough's first sports development officer, Joanne Moss, they were not able to develop it outside of school time.