Keighley Cougars may get lottery cash to run sports programmes in communities and schools across the town.

The rugby club is joining other sports clubs and Bradford council to look at applying for cash from the lottery's New Opportunities Fund.

Cougars players have already attended a playwork training scheme in a bid to develop their role within the local community.

The lottery bid forms part of the council's campaign to develop accessible and long-lasting community-led sporting activities in disadvantaged areas.

It hopes to work on similar schemes as part of regeneration programmes such as Education and Health Action Zones.

News of the campaign was revealed in a report on how the council's Recreation Service is meeting its 22 targets for the year.

The targets cover improvements to the service, value for money, information technology, workforce and environmental issues.

Recreation chiefs are spending £65,000 on improving access to sports centres and other leisure facilities across the district.

They hope to increase the use of local theatres and halls by disadvantaged groups, and develop literacy projects for first schools, nurseries and playgroups.

An Asian Arts Development Officer will be appointed to help ensure theatre programmes meet the needs of all local communities.

Planned environmental measures include providing cycle routes through parks and open spaces and planting 10,000 trees across the district by next March.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.