Boys and girls from schools across Neilston and East Renfrewshire have taken part in the Tesco Bank Football Challenge.

Nearly 500 pupils from 11 primary schools took part over the three days.

And it was a huge success, with the P2 children involved from both Neilston Primary Schools.

The latest festival involved pupils from St Thomas’s, Uplawmoor and Neilston primary schools.

At Cowan Park in Barrhead, a total of 75 children took part in the first leg of the football challenge.

And there were two sessions at the Pro-Soccer five-a-side complex in Giffnock, with around 200 children at each.

The football festival is just part of the overall challenge programme.

It also provides free curriculum time coaching – more than 120 hours this session – and in-service training for teachers.

More than 500 hours of free coaching has been delivered in schools.

And a total of 40 teachers have attended in-service football training.

Convener for community services and community safety, Councillor Mary Montague, called in to Giffnock to see the youngsters in action.

She said: “This has been an outstanding programme for our young people and I was delighted to see for myself how much the children were enjoying it.

“It’s vital that we play our part in encouraging boys and girls to be active and take up sport at an early age.

“We were delighted to team up with Tesco Bank and the SFA on the project that has benefited so many children in East Renfrewshire.” Adele Mills, community investment manager at Tesco Bank, added: “The Tesco Bank Football Challenge has benefited teachers, pupils and volunteers year on year and has an important aim of promoting health and wellbeing to youngsters in Scotland. It was great to see the children having such a great time today.”