Paralympic bronze medallist Ade Adepitan is the star attraction on day three of Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week

By Tom Reynolds, Sportsbeat

PARALYMPIC bronze medallist Ade Adepitan was the star attraction as day three of Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week made its way to Sheffield.

EYES ON THE BALL: Ade Adepitan and London 2012 official mascot Mandeville call in on the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield as part of Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week

Adepitan was one of the star names in the crowd as over 700 Sheffield school children tried their hand at a range of Olympic and Paralympic sports at the English Institute of Sport.

More than four million children from schools across Britain are set to take part in National School Sport Week, an initiative run in partnership with the Youth Sport Trust.

12 schools from across the city took part in an action-packed day at the EIS, which saw the kids not only cheered on by Adepitan but also London 2012 mascot Mandeville.

And with world heptathlon champion and favourite for London 2012 gold Jessica Ennis busy training at the same venue, Adepitan admitted the day had been a resounding success.

"It was fantastic to see the kids enjoying themselves and trying something new," said Adepitan.

"Seeing those guys who are the future stars, alongside Jess Ennis a current star, and then me a former star, means the future, past and present have all been covered which was great."

A little further north at Leeds Met University, over 1000 young people were taking part in sports ranging from athletics to cheerleading as part of the West Yorkshire Youth Games.

The areas of Kirklees, Leeds, Bradford, Calderdale and Wakefield were represented, with the secondary school children kicking things off in style with an opening ceremony.

Rugby league legend Robbie Hunter-Paul was on hand to answer questions and the former New Zealand star admitted he was itching to get involved.

"The whole thing is fantastic and it is such a good experience for all the kids here and as soon as you see the excitement on their faces it takes you back to your school days," he said.

"I just wish I had come better prepared because they were all running around in shorts and t-shirts and I came in a suit so they had the right idea I think."

Meanwhile in Lincoln as many as 300 school children launched their version of the ‘Get Ready Games' at Lincoln Castle Academy.

The celebration event, set up in anticipation of the Olympics, encapsulated the values of London 2012 as children from 21 different schools in the area took part in athletics, cricket and football. 

Elsewhere in Sunderland, kids put their fitness to the test at the Silksworth Sports Complex, with 271 children from 20 schools taking part in individual and team triathlon events as they swam, cycled and ran in the summer sunshine.

While in Gravesend children joined forces with Olympic javelin silver medallist Steve Backley to take part in an Olympic-themed day of activities called "Two Generations, One Vision".

The event, which took place at North West Kent College, saw over 150 kids take part in a range of sports including javelin and basketball before dividing into teams to take part in an Olympic quiz.

Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week uses the power of London 2012 to inspire children to try Olympic and Paralympic sports.  Your local school could carry the Olympic Flame in the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay or win tickets to London 2012 at: www.lloydstsb.com/nationalschoolsportweek