A CAR dealership in York is helping to train future footballers by donating sporting equipment to local schools.

Hatfields Hyundai, based in York Business Park, has donated hundreds of footballs to pupils at schools across the city.

Andy Maddock, principal dealer at Hatfields, said an exhibition of football skills by York FA Girls’ Academy at a showroom event last month was the inspiration for the scheme.

He said: “Watching the FA Girls’ Academy enthusiastically demonstrate their footballing talents inspired us to contact local schools across the area.

“We wanted to help the physical education teachers in the community develop future football stars, and what better way to do this than by providing some vital equipment.”

Visitors to the event were invited to bring along an old football and trade it for a new one, with the old ones being sent to the SOS Africa scheme.

The schools to benefit from new balls included Manor CE, Wigginton Primary and Joseph Rowntree.

“Football, as you would expect, is an extremely popular sport among our pupils, even more so during a World Cup,” said Andrew Haigh, head of physical education at Joseph Rowntree School.

“We are very grateful to Hatfields for the provision of these footballs which will allow us to set up two new school teams – girls under-13s and under-15s.

“We’ve got our eye on a tournament in the summer which will give us the chance to show the local area how far we’ve developed the sport here.”