POOLE Park Bowling Club is hosting a youth festival of bowls to help raise funds for the rapidly-growing Bowls Dorset Youth Academy.

It takes place on Sunday, May 20 and there will be sessions throughout the day between 10.30am and 4.30pm.

Youngsters between the ages of five and 18 are invited to attend to try out lawn bowling free of charge. They are asked to wear flat trainers or shoes.

Young bowlers from Blandford Bowling Club will be helping on the day and encouraging other youngsters to get involved in a new sport.

Adam Tanner, Bowls England’s development director, will be in attendance as will Mo Monkton, Bowls England disability manager who has recently returned from the Commonwealth Games in Australia.

Monkton has helped develop a strong youth section in Somerset and is hoping to bring along some young internationals from the county to give the Dorset youngsters an opportunity to play against them in exhibition matches.

Bowls Dorset Ladies' president Carol Williams has chosen as her charity The Youth Academy and the development of junior bowling sections at other clubs in Dorset and they will benefit from her fundraising throughout her year.