Young people from Ulverston have finished a new scheme designed to get them into boxing.

The Round by Round youth boxing programme was organised by Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service working with firefighters from Ulverston Blue Light Hub in partnership with Watson Boxing/Fitness and England Boxing.

The team congratulated the 10 graduates after the inaugural six weekly sessions came to an end.

Ryan Watson, owner of the gym in Mill Brow, said: "It's been a really huge success because you could tell that the kids were really enjoying it.

"I've now got parents messaging me to ask if their children can take part, so we're hoping to extend it to become a thing that takes place every Saturday."

Beyond that, the success of the sessions is now being evaluated, with plans for other groups to form across the country.

Mr Watson was pleased about the benefits on show for the children, especially around bettering their mental health.

"It's about giving them a release when they might not know how else to express that," he explained.

"We're seeing a rise in anti-social behaviour and knife crime across the country, so boxing is important in giving kids a space to get rid of those negative feelings in a healthy way."

Attending the group’s ceremony to hand out the certificates were Chief Fire Officer Rick Odgen and Deputy Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Mike Johnson, in addition to other fire service personnel, and the graduates’ family and friends.

Mr Watson added: "The best thing of all was just to watch the group better themselves, which is one of the major perks of my job.

"We were seeing kids who were shy at first eventually come out of their shells because they're being given the chance to mix with other people of the same age."