The Rugby coaching scheme run by Ilkley Rugby Club enjoyed a further boost as five of Ilkley's six primary schools in the area sent squads to a tag rugby festival at the club.

The first festival run earlier in the year had been an outstanding success and everything was in place for another thoroughly enjoyable afternoon.

Schools participating were Burley Woodhead, All Saints Ilkley, Burley Oaks, Ashlands Ilkley and Addingham.

The only thing Community Rugby Development Officer Dave Duxbury had omitted to do was order the weather.

However, stoicism is a trait of Ilkley folk and the children were clearly up for a competitive afternoon.

In appalling weather conditions they set about playing each other on a round robin system and each team had played two or three games before the rain got the better of proceedings.

However, the evidence was of boys and girls playing a high standard of tag rugby with unbridled enthusiasm.

The improvement in the quality of rugby played, even since the summer, was clearly visible.

This success has impacted on demand for Duxbury's excellent coaching. His timetable is so full he barely has time to relax. He says, however, that the satisfaction of so much progress and the enjoyment the children derive from it is reward in itself.

The Ilkley club is delighted with the success of the project but is still concerned that year two and three funding gaps still exist.

Chairman Richard Scargill said: "We will leave no stone unturned to ensure the delivery of coaching to the community can continue.

"Without the generous support of Skipton Financial Services, Magellan Residential and Myddelton Construction we could not have got it underway.

"Sportsmatch funding got the project off the ground but as this becomes smaller other funding sources are being sought to bridge the gaps.

"I hope the funders will now really recognise the value of what we are doing in the community and come up with the relatively modest sums we need."