A HECTIC period for Special Olympics City of York kicks off this weekend.

Today a squad of eight boccia athletes and six short mat bowlers will compete in their respective Yorkshire & Humberside Regional tournaments in Bradford.

And on Sunday, April 15, New Earswick Indoor Bowls Club will host the Yorkshire & Humberside Indoor Bowls Singles tournament, with eight local bowlers lining up in a field of 36.

Later this month, eight tennis players will head to Nottingham to compete in the West Bridgeford tournament before four of them jet off to Munich, having been invited to compete in the Special Olympics Germany Eighth National Games between May 20 and 26.

Five swimmers – Jake Vicars, Cameron Long, Laura Campbell, Lauren Farrow and Charlie Pickering – took part in City of Hull’s Special Olympics Gala earlier this month and returned with five bronze medals.

Special Olympics City of York works with local sports clubs to offer year-round sport training and competition opportunities and is open to all people with learning disabilities regardless of their ability.

The programme is designed to allow athletes of all ages to learn, enjoy and benefit from participation in individual and team sports.

Events are modified where necessary to give athletes with severe disabilities opportunities for meaningful participation.

For more details and to find out about all the sports on offer, or to volunteer as a helper, visit the website www.specialolympicscityofyork.org