Hundreds of Bradford schoolchildren will have free ice skating coaching as part of PE lessons, thanks to a pioneering scheme launched in the city.

Bradford Ice Hockey Club has been awarded £50,000 from Sportsmatch - a Government-funded scheme aimed at developing sports projects among young people - to get 600 children on the ice each week.

The aim is to make skating and ice hockey as much a part of a school's sporting life as football and athletics.

Bradford will be one of the first places in the country to run such a scheme.

The Sportsmatch cash - the maximum grant awarded by the organisation - will fund a full-time coach. The funding has been matched "in kind" by Bradford Ice Arena, which is providing the venue and facilities free of charge.

Bradford Ice Hockey Club chairman Phil Lewis said the cash would fund the scheme for two years. A pilot scheme, involving six schools, will run from Easter and a full-time scheme for 20 schools starts in September.

The schools are all in west Bradford, chosen because no school is more than a couple of miles from the Ice Arena which reduces travelling in school time.

"The award was, in Sportsmatch words, unusual in that it was granted unanimously by the panel and for a sponsorship "in kind" from Bradford Ice Arena. Most awards are for cash matched with cash," said Mr Lewis.

Under the scheme, each child will have an hour a week on the ice, learning a programme from the England Ice Hockey Association Beginners Merit Award scheme.

Mr Lewis hopes that training more children will boost numbers in the ice hockey club's junior section.

"Bradford has a 25-year ice hockey tradition but still no premier team. Sheffield leads the way in Yorkshire because it has top-class facilities so their players have a much bigger advantage when competing against ours.

"We want to expand our under-12s so we can develop the club. Even if they decide that skating or ice hockey isn't for them, the children will have learned physical skills."

Bradford Ice Arena director Barry Whitaker hopes the scheme will boost falling numbers using the rink.

"When Torvill and Dean were winning medals, every little girl in West Yorkshire wanted to learn ice skating. Success inspires young people," he said.

"And skating is a great spectator sport, which draws in crowds. If we can build up the club we can improve facilities at the arena, which will attract people both to skate and watch."

Now the ice hockey club is appealing to businesses to help fund transport costs to and from the Arena.

"It will cost about £1,000 a year per school," said Mr Lewis.

"We'd like businesses, particularly in west Bradford, to help out. This scheme will give children in that area a valuable opportunity to train in a sport they may not normally have had the chance to take up.

"Serco is contacting the schools which have signed up for the scheme, to suggest ways of obtaining funding and it would be great if local businesses could help too.

"In return we will put company logos around the rink and on promotional literature."

Anyone interested in helping to fund transport ring Ice Arena manager David Hall on (01274) 729091.