A NEW Sport England ‘place pilot’ scheme in Pennine Lancashire will target 40,000 people with depression, anxiety and stress.

Blackburn with Darwen Council leader Mohammed Khan has reported details of the project to colleagues after the authority successfully bid for funding.

He said: “It will trail-blaze new ways of transforming sport and activity. Pennine Lancashire’s priority group will be almost 40,000 people with depression or anxiety and stress.”

He added: “This group is more likely to have other long-term conditions as well as other challenges so supporting them to get active and involved in sport will make a big difference to their lives.”