The Michael Vaughans of tomorrow are being groomed in Bradford with help from Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

As the fourth Test of the Ashes series against Australia got under way yesterday Bradford youngsters were enjoying a taste of the game - many for the first time - from a top-class coach sponsored by the club.

More than 500 children aged from five to 17 were taught by level three coach Harvey Anderson as part of a host of sports on offer at a King's Sports Camp at Bradford Grammar School.

The record number of youngsters have been keen to try their skills at the stumps as cricket-mania sweeps the UK.

Christian education-based charity King's Camp runs the regular week-long camps during Summer and Easter school holidays, offering youngsters the chance to try more than 20 different sports.

But this year was the first time children have had the benefit of a professional cricket coach.

Mr Anderson, opening batsman for Idle cricket club, has been teaching youngsters in Bradford and across West Yorkshire.

Kings Camp operations director Rebecca Padgett said: "I can't tell you how exciting it is seeing a little girl of eight, who initially said cricket was boring, asking when the next session was after the coaching session. She loved it. It has changed their hearts and minds.

"Harvey has been absolutely fantastic. He is so enthusiastic. He knows the game and loves the game and that comes across to the children.

"If we get ten children who go on and play cricket, it would be worth it in my eyes, but I know we have more than that."

Children have been able to join the cricket sessions as well as trying netball, rugby, tennis, football, swimming and hockey.

Yorkshire Cricket Club operations director Geoff Cope said: "We have a bank of coaches and because we had some spare coaches we were happy to send some into the camps.

"Level four is the top-level coach and there are 40 in the country. A level three coach is the next one down and proves someone is well on their way to becoming a top-level coach.

"It may well be an introduction to cricket for some of the children.

"Most importantly it means children get to play the game of cricket.

"We want to get to the children because they are our future. Everybody started somewhere in grass-roots cricket.

"The magic of it will be when we get a small club who will bring a youngster through and they are able to make it with Yorkshire."