FIVE talented young sports stars have been given a helping hand towards medals and titles after being chosen as the first recipients of Weston College’s new sports bursary scheme.

The �2,500 project has seen five students handed �500 each towards the cost of competing in their chosen sporting careers.

Kickboxer Lewis Mulhall, rugby player Adam Fisher, golfer Jade Cope and footballers Daniel Jackson and Jack Nicholson were revealed as the inaugural bursary award winners this week.

Jade, aged 17, of The Cornfields, Weston, has high hopes of a sporting career after being named the most improved golfer in the country for her age.

She said: “This opportunity has allowed me to have one-to-one professional coaching so I can improve as a player and enter more regional/national competitions.”

And Lewis – who has already been a British, European and world champion at the tender age of 18 – says the award will give him the opportunity to extend his growing array of titles. The Longridge Road resident said: “This bursary will go a long way to help support my aspirations to travel to Los Angeles to compete in the world championships.”

The college’s sports co-ordinator, Sabrina Page, said: “We are delighted to launch this bursary to go towards costs of training or competing in each student’s sport. Applicants are expected to compete throughout the year of the award and promote Weston College when training or competing as well as show they can manage their academic work.”