A FLEDGLING judo club which has seen its membership more than double since the Olympics has been given a helping hand.

The judo club in Ouston, near Chester-le-Street, had just six young members before the London Games, but a further eight youngsters from the village came forward to join in the weeks after the games.

Now the club has been given £700 from social landlord Cestria Community Housing, through the County Durham Community Foudnation, to buy another 70 judo mats for training.

Steve Makin, director of judo at the British Busen Judo Martial Arts Academy which runs the club, said: "The Olympics had a hugely positive impact on sport in the UK, inspiring youngsters across the country to get fit and get active.

"We witnessed the ‘Olympic effect’ first hand with a massive spike in demand within weeks of the Games.

"At first we found it difficult to cope with the increased numbers. Put simply we didn’t have enough mats, and people were having to sit around and wait their turn at classes.

"Now with this grant from Cestria we have been able to buy enough mats for everyone who wants to come along and give judo a try.

"There’s a real lack of things to do for young people in the village, so the club offers a fantastic outlet for them".

Christine Scott, head of corporate services at Cestria, added: "Ouston Judo Club is an impressive organisation which is doing great work in the village to help provide a positive and healthy activity for young people to participate in.

"The increase in the number of young people wanting to join since the Olympics is really encouraging and we hope this grant will go some way to helping the club cope".