A joint athletics development programme has been launched by UK Athletics and Birmingham City Council ahead of next month's World Indoor Championships.

The scheme is being run to coincide with the event, in an attempt to harness local enthusiasm for one of the biggest indoor events in the athletics calendar. Its main objective is to encourage more young people to take up the sport, through a number of initiatives.

Costing around £60,000, of which £25,000 will come direct from the championships' budget, the programme will include open masterclasses for local young people to attend, an education scholarship programme, closer working with local specialist sports colleges, and events such as an Inter-County Championship, to be held at the National Indoor Arena.

John Scott, director of major events at UK Sport said, 'UK Sport has always argued that events are about more than just a festival of competition. They can also be used to capture the imagination of young people and bring them into sport. The programme being run in Birmingham is an excellent example of how a major event can stimulate new developments.'