THE search is on to find the best young athletes in Weymouth.

A new initiative will send coaches into every primary school in Weymouth and Portland to uncover talent.

The Beach Fit Challenge will end with a summer sports day where the top boy and girl from each school will compete against each other in a range of athletic events.

The idea is a follow-up to last year's successful Beach Fit events, which encouraged young people to get down to Weymouth beach during the summer holidays and take part in sports.

In the new scheme coaches will go into every Weymouth and Portland primary school from today until July 6 to hold free coaching sessions to year four pupils.

The focus will be on sprints, hurdles, jumping and throwing events. The best children in each event will have the chance to represent their school at the Beach Fit Challenge on Weymouth beach on July 11.

Peter Hawkins, the man behind the scheme, and his daughter Layla, a former English heptathlon champion, will oversee the coaching.

Mr Hawkins said: "On July 11 all the school champions will be bussed to Weymouth beach to compete in the inter-schools Beach Fit Challenge in a specially constructed arena.

"Here the boy and girl borough champions in javelin, hurdles, sprint and long jump will be found through a series of heats and finals."

Mr Hawkins said the scheme was the first talent finding project of its kind in the country.

He wants local sporting talent to be identified and directed to coaching squads and local athletics clubs.

The challenge will act as a curtain raiser to regular Beach Fit activities that will be open to all youngsters through the summer holidays.

A team of coaches will be on the beach running sports activities for seven days a week from July 28 to September 1.

Anyone interested in running a coaching session should contact Layla on 07821308285.

Beach Fit will provide an all-expenses-paid training class.