THE county's biggest sporting event for kids explodes into action tomorrow.

More than 1,500 young people will be battling it out in the seventh North Yorkshire Youth Games at Ampleforth College.

Teams from all seven Local authorities in the county - York, Selby, Ryedale, Hambleton, Harrogate, Craven and Richmondshire, will be contesting a variety of sports.

The Youth Games is an annual event hosted by the County Sports Partnerships across the UK. Launched as the Millennium Games in 2000, the Youth Games allows children from across each county to come together and compete in a range of sporting activities, in a fun filled and exciting day.

York staged the first event in 2000 but it has been held at Ampleforth for the last three years and in addition to the sporting youngsters more than 300 volunteers, officials and staff, plus 500 spectators, should make it a day to remember.

Various selection events have been held by schools and clubs in each authority to qualify for the big day.

Schools representing York are Poppleton Ousebank and Robert Wilkinson (Netball High Fives), Copmanthorpe (Sportshall athletics), Archbishop of York Juniors, Bishopthorpe (Kwik Cricket), Ralph Butterfield (Rugby League), Oaklands (Girls Football), Applefields (Disability tag rugby).

Through other development programmes teams are also being entered in netball, hockey, gymnastics, sportsability, rugby union and basketball.

The rugby event is always a popular crowd-puller and this year Ralph Butterfield can expect tough competition from Barwic Parade, who will be representing Selby and Alne, who won the Games last year for Hambleton. Both schools have shown up strongly in tag events organised by York City Knights.

Last year York chalked up victories in the Under-13s hockey, U11 mixed Kwik Cricket, U13 netball and U16 sportsability, while Selby won the U11s athletics, U13 girls football. Ryedale won the U13 boys basketball.