THESE youngsters are hooked on fishing.

Interest in York Junior Angling Club is booming - so much so that organisers are appealing for more help in supervising fishing outings.

The club members fish at various locations in the York area, including Rawcliffe Lake, Carp Vale, Tollerton Ponds and Langwith Lakes, while they also hold an away day trip every summer.

Linda Wallis, who founded the club for her own children more than 20 years ago, said: "There are a lot of kids who want to come fishing, but we haven't got the adults to look after them all. We've got nearly 30 members but we have had up to 80 enrolled.

"Both my daughter, Adele, and myself are nationally qualified coaches with the National Federation of Anglers. Lots of other anglers come down and sit with the kids and help them out, but if any adults want to come and help out, we can get funding to put them through coaching courses."

Linda said youngsters could glean many benefits from the sport of angling.

"The kids really enjoy it and it's a very good hobby for them," she said. "They learn patience, sitting quietly. It teaches them team building because when somebody catches a big fish, they all go and help. It is a solitary sport in some ways, but they also have to work together.

"We also teach them about environmental issues. We are conservationists and we make a point of looking out for problems in the water."

Several of the youngsters represent York in national competitions through the Leeds junior angling club.

Said Linda: "The juniors there have a clubhouse, a committee and fundraising events. They can go into national matches there so I always say that if parents are willing to take them, they should go. They fish for York under the Leeds banner in national matches."

The club enrols new members in April and fishes from April to September.

Anyone interested in finding out more about the club should phone Adele Wallis at Mitre Angling Centre on 01904 654841.