IN reply to the letter (Sport was once a popular pastime', Bury Times, October 5).

I am pleased to inform your correspondent Peter Coupe that sport and the opportunity for activity has never been in as healthier position for the borough as it is today.

The majority of football pitches in Bury Metro parks are being run to capacity.

Hoyles Park and Clarence Park have more than 180 footballers using the pitches in the evenings and at weekends. This usage includes boys and girls of different age groups.

Bury Council has 63 senior and 45 mini soccer pitches that are all well used.

Most of these are self-managed by local clubs and volunteers that set their own fees and charges.

For example, at Hoyles and Clarence Parks, the annual charge per team is only £150 for adults and £75 for children.

We do, however, recommend that grass pitches are used no more than three times per week to allow them to repair naturally.

The council's Sports Development Team has a dedicated Football Development Officer who runs a football development group attended by clubs and volunteers across the borough.

The group discuss funding, new programmes and projects and also provides support and advice to clubs about developing football for boys, girls and ethnic minorities.

The Sports Development Team also works in partnership with Bury FC, Radcliffe Borough FC and other teams towards developing football in the community.

With regard to cricket, there is also a pro-active cricket development group supported by Bury Council with representation from 14 cricket clubs and other volunteers.

The Sports Development Team, in partnership with the cricket development group, employs a full-time Cricket Development Coach to work with local clubs and more than 50 schools.

In the past 18 months more than 80 young people have been referred from schools to cricket clubs in the community.

Towards creating a healthy and active borough, the council supports 10 specific sports development groups, including regional and local governing bodies.

As well as this, the Sports Development Team organise a low cost programme covering many sports aimed at getting young people more active, together with hosting a successful International Youth Sports Festival earlier this year.

We have also refurbished more than 50 play areas and 24 tennis courts, as well as installed 21 multi-play ball zones.

We are developing new community sports centres in partnership with local schools such as at Broad Oak and we have installed pitch drainage systems into 20 senior pitches and all 45 mini soccer pitches within our football pitch refurbishment programme.

Starting this month, Clarence Park will have underground drainage installed into two pitches.

I think this confirms that as a council we are committed to, and are doing our utmost to support and promote, sporting opportunities throughout the borough of Bury.

COUNCILLOR TIM CHAMBERLAIN Executive Member, Health and Well-Being