WORLD Cup winner Sir Geoff Hurst has urged youngsters to get off the couch and start taking part in competitive sport.
Sir Geoff, who struck a matchwinning hat-trick during England's 1966 World Cup final 4-2 victory over West Germany, was at a football festival to inspire up to 1,000 boys and girls teams from across the country at the Ron Tucker Sports Ground, run by Bolton Lads and Girls Club, Hacken Lane.
Sir Geoff and Manchester United coach Eric Harrison fronted a campaign which wants to provide more quality coaching and inspire more boys and girls to lead balanced, healthy lifestyles and exercise for 60 minutes every day.
Youngsters aged between nine and 14 took part in five-a-side girls, boys and mixed teams and the former West Ham, Stoke City and West Bromich Albion star was surrounded by parents and children alike as they clamoured for an autograph.
But Sir Geoff was keen to stress the importance of physical exercise to the nation's young couch potatoes.
He said: "It's great to be here in Bolton and watching young people taking part in football. The whole point of the tournament is to encourage more people to take part in competitive sport, whether it is football or any other sport.
"We want children to exercise and have fun. Football is fun and it is great to see so many people enjoying playing the game. It is particularly pleasing to see so many girls teams taking part. For so long the women's game has been neglected but now it is one of the fastest growing sports in the country.
"We want to get girls interested in football, and the likes of David Beckham and Wayne Rooney certainly inspire some of them to get involved in the game."
The event was promoted by fast-food giants McDonald's and the Football Association, which aim to recruit 8,000 new community coaches by 2006.
The coaches will work with children aged between six and 12 at FA Charter mark approved venues nationwide.
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