OVER 700 young athletes from across the county attended a major school-sports event.

The largest ever Herefordshire Values Festival saw 31 schools take part, supported by 96 young leaders.

Organised by Active Herefordshire and Worcestershire and Stride Active, supported by the National Lottery and Sport England, the Values Festival is centred around five key behaviours, qualities, and inter-personal skills of a good sports person – namely respect, teamwork, passion, self-belief and determination.

The School Games programme enables young people to take part in mostly participatory physical activity and sport events.

The programme offers a wide variety of activities and sports, from tennis, golf, sports hall athletics and multi skills, to inclusive bowling, dodgeball, and team building.

Four schools from the Ross-on-Wye area were winners; In sports hall athletics, Lea Primary School won the honesty award; In tennis, Much Birch Primary School came tops in the determination award; in the multi-skills section Llangrove Primary School took the honesty award while St Mary's Primary School in Fownhope took won the teamwork award in the multi-sports section.

Stephen Brewster, chief executive of Active Herefordshire said: “The Values Games are a fantastic opportunity for children who may not be engaged in sport and physical activity, to try something new in a safe and fun environment. Positive experiences like this event can open doors and make lasting memories.”