THE YMCA National Centre at Lakeside is to extend its popular day camps for local children during the summer.

Each year around 1,200 children between the ages of eight and 15 visit Lakeside for activity adventure weeks in the summer. They offer a wide variety of outdoor activities and games, and youngsters with special needs are encouraged to take part in the programme.

Lakeside is now to extend its day camp weeks to all the main school holidays October half term, Easter and Spring half term, as well as the traditional summer camps.

Chief executive Steve Taylor said: "Not only do day camps provide a truly wonderful way for children to spend their school holiday, they also provide peace of mind for busy parents who often struggle for child care facilities during school holidays."

Next summer also sees the introduction of residential summer camps for 15 to 18-year-olds. Mr Taylor said these will be in the form of American summer camps and for many, it would be their first holiday away from home without parents.

"Camp counsellors and mentors will be on hand to ensure that all these young people experience a week of camping and outdoor adventure that they will truly remember forever with like-minded young people of their own age," said Mr Taylor.

And to celebrate the major expansion of the day camp programme, the YMCA National Centre is trying to find anyone who can remember attending one of the very early day camps. Anyone with memories of day camps in the 1960s or 1970s is urged to write to Tom Eccleston at the YMCA National Centre, Lakeside, Newby Bridge, Ulverston, LA12 8BD.

The best, most vivid memory will be rewarded with a free place for a child of their choice at a forthcoming day camp week. The author will also receive a personal invitation to revisit the centre to relive and share their experiences with some of today's young visitors and staff. Anyone interested in sending their children to either the extended day camps or the residential summer camps should contact Joyce Airey on 08707-273927, ext 109.