A LEADING local politician has made a plea for more professional and volunteer coaches in sport to help aspiring youngsters.

The Stalybridge and Hyde MP James Purnell, who is the Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport, told the Labour Party Conference in Bournemouth: "A community without a culture in nothing".

Mr Purnell announced he was launching a campaign for additional coaches for youngsters interested in sports, ahead of the 2012 Olympics in London.

He explained: "The Olympics will be the greatest recruiting sergeant for sport ever seen in this country.

"To seize that opportunity, we are transforming school sport. We will spend £100 million to give all the children the opportunity to do five hours of sport a week.

"When children pick up a racket for the first time, I want someone expert alongside them. When they put on their running spikes for the first time, I want who has been fully trained to work with them.

"Let's have a society that would recognise the sheer joy of taking part. That would take people's potential seriously and understand that ordinary people love extraordinary things."

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