SCHOOL sport in Bolton is to receive a cash injection of £850,000 as part of the Olympic legacy.

Schools are being given a slice of the money to capitalise on the inspiration young people took from last summer’s London Games.

They money is part of £150 million being put aside by the Government to improve sport provision in primary schools in England.

Schools could spend the money on specialist coaching and teacher training, dedicated sports programmes, Change4Life sports clubs or on after-school or weekend competitions.

Cllr Martyn Cox, vice-chairman of Bolton Council's children's services scrutiny committee, said: “Competitive sport is a very important part of a child’s education, it helps young people foster as sense of dedication and hard work, skills essential in the modern economy and to that extent I welcome the Governments new initiative.”

The campaign has been backed by Olympic champions Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis, along with Lord Coe, the London 2012 chairman and the Prime Minister's Olympic and Paralympic legacy ambassador.

Lord Coe visited Bolton in the run up to the Games with Bolton School old boy Sir Philip Craven, the president of the International Paralympic Committee.

Farah, the 5,000m and 10,000m gold medallist, said: “I am very excited to know that lots of children will be able to get involved in sport while at school and get more help from teachers and coaches.

“It really is very important.”

Olympic gold winner, Ennis added: “It is great to see initiatives that help to give really young children the chance to take part in sport.”

Funding for schools will be calculated according to the number of children aged between five and 11.

A primary school with 250 pupils would receive £9,250 per year, which the government says is about two days a week of a primary teacher or coach’s time.

The primary school years are seen as crucial in tackling obesity and physical inactivity.