Youngsters can now register to swim for free during all Dudley Council school holidays at borough leisure centres.

Children who live in the borough, from babies right up to 16-year-olds, are eligible to sign up for the free swimming offer at Dudley, Halesowen and Crystal leisure centres.

The initiative has now been extended to include all school holidays including Easter, half-term holidays and Christmas. It will not include inset, staff training and election days or May Day Bank Holiday.

The new scheme will start during the Easter holidays from Saturday April 13. Parents can now register their children at freeswimindudley.co.uk.

If children were already registered last summer they do not need to register again as codes can be re-sent if requested from the website. Alan Lunt, strategic director for place and deputy chief executive, said:

“We are delighted to be able to announce the extension of this initiative to take in all Dudley school holidays.

”Registration is now open, and we hope lots of children will take advantage of the offer if they haven’t already signed up.”

It comes after a trial during the summer holidays last year that saw more than 14,000 children take advantage of the free offer.

There were nearly 30,000 visits to Dudley, Halesowen and Crystal Leisure Centre in Stourbridge over the six-week period