AN ever-popular summer playscheme in the east end of Greenock is once again packed with youngsters.

Craigend Community Centre's club is up and running at King's Oak Primary and, for the first time, in the new £2m community centre itself.

It offers all sports of activities for kids aged eight to 12 and organisers also takes them away on days out.

Brian Power, centre manager, said: "I think the playscheme is so popular is because it is run by the voluntary sector.

"It is run by and for the community.

"We ask the kids what they want to do and they help to plan it.

"We do day trips and take the kids out of the area."

Inverclyde Council has made arrangements for all playschemes to be free this year but Brian liaised with parents before deciding to continue charging £1 a day for the playscheme.

He is using the money to pay for day trips.

Brian said: "It only costs £1 and every pound that comes in gets spent on the kids."

A total of 76 children are registered for the playscheme to go very morning and afternoon and Brian wants to thank Councillor Michael McCormick on their behalf for his support for the playscheme.

Councillor McCormick was instrumental in securing the sum of £20,000 for free playschemes in Inverclyde this summer, putting it to the Labour group before it was eventually ratified by the full council.

He said: "I brought the suggestion to the group after speaking to one of the committee members at Auchmountain Hall, who said they were struggling with cost of playschemes due to the rise in the cost of living.

"I have always been a great supporter of Craigend for many years and the great job Brian does there.

"I am delighted playschemes are free this year, with the challenges families have with their budgets.

"When I still had my shop in the east end, the kids from the playscheme used to come in to get their sweets.

"The majority of those kids wouldn't be going anywhere else but those trips during the holidays and for a lot of the kids, they would have gone to places they'd never been before."