Grant for safer classes

12:19pm Tuesday 7th October 2008

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Classes in the sport of parkour are being held in Calne to help youngsters do the activity safely.

The urban fitness craze involves "free running" across buildings and walls - often over rooftops and in subways.

North Wiltshire Council has given a grant to a parkour group to train 13 to 18-year-olds.

Community Safety officer Ian Whiteway said youngsters would also be taught consideration to the public when taking part in the sport.

"I think a lot of people - if they saw it - would think of it as anti-social behaviour," he said.

"North Wiltshire Council gave an amount of money to the parkour group to show (the youngsters) how to run, jump and land in a safe way in a safe environment.

"It will always be a sport that is out and about in the town, but they always let people in the area know what's happening, if people come past, they stop, and they'll wait for them to go past then carry on."