A SCHOOL sports competition has been boosted by a £45,000 National Lottery grant.

School Games festivals are set to take place across the country next year with the Oxfordshire events taking place at Abingdon School in April and July.

This week the contest came a step closer when the Oxfordshire organising committee was given funding from Sport England.

Fraser Long, chairman of the Oxfordshire Sainsbury’s School Games Local Organising Committee, said: “Building on the great success of the past, the programme promises to offer every child in Oxfordshire the opportunity to take part in more high quality competitive school sport than ever before.

“The culmination of this will be two inspirational festivals, held in the spring and summer, hosted by Abingdon School.”

The games are expected to be among the 150 School Games festivals taking place across the country next year. The events mark the end of year-round school competitions with the best athletes competing in more than 30 sports including athletics, hockey and swimming.

John Steele, chief executive at the Youth Sport Trust, said: “The funding for these festivals will help make the events an exciting and inspiring occasion for those taking part.”