Organisers of a scheme providing ice hockey training have been inundated with requests from schools wanting to get involved.

Bradford Ice Hockey Club has landed £50,000 from Government-funded scheme Sportsmatch to develop the training, which will be launched at Easter.

Chairman Phil Lewis said the club was choosing six schools to pilot the scheme between Easter and July. It will then run with 20 schools for a full academic year from September, involving about 600 children each week.

One-hour lessons will be held during the school day at Bradford Ice Arena - which is providing the venue and facilities for free - as part of the National Curriculum.

Mr Lewis hopes it will boost numbers in Bradford Ice Hockey Club's junior section.

Since the Telegraph & Argus announced last month that the club had been awarded Sportsmatch cash Mr Lewis has been swamped with requests from across Bradford and Leeds.

"We're over-subscribed and we're choosing which schools to take on," he said. "It's only open to schools in west Bradford, because it's a sport action zone and only a couple of miles from the ice arena, which cuts down travelling during school time.

Mr Lewis said a full-time coach would be appointed in August. He said he had received applications for the job, including one from a Canadian ice hockey player.

Mr Lewis said funding, estimated at £1,000 per school, was needed for transport to and from the ice arena. Education Bradford has contacted schools suggesting ways of finding the cash from budgets, and Mr Lewis has appealed to businesses to make donations.

Anyone interested in applying for the job of ice hockey coach, or donating funds towards transport costs should ring Mr Lewis on (01274) 567735 or email phil_l@btopenworld.com