A housebuilder has donated £1,000 to a youth football club for new kits.

Ottery St Mary Youth FC, a club with almost 200 children aged between seven and 18, was the latest recipient of Persimmon Homes South West's Community Champions scheme.

The scheme donates thousands of pounds every year to good causes and valued organisations throughout the South West.

The club has 10 mixed teams playing in the Exeter and District Youth League, as well as three dedicated girls' teams at under-16, 14, and 12, who compete in the Devon Girls League.

Persimmon currently has properties for sale at two sites in the area - three and four-bed homes are available for purchase from £249,995 at Cherrywood Grange in Tithebarn and Galileo at Cranbrook, with five-bed properties also for sale at the former.

Other beneficiaries of the housebuilder's Community Champions programme include Royal Devon Hospitals Charity, Cranbrook Town Council, and Broadclyst Youth FC.

Stacey Harris, sales director at Persimmon Homes South West, said: "Persimmon have a proud tradition of supporting youth football teams in the South West and we are pleased to continue that with our latest Community Champions donation.

"Team sports are an excellent way for children and young people to improve their physical and mental health, as well as learning values from discipline to teamwork, so supporting a club like Ottery St Mary Youth FC’s girls’ team was an easy decision.

"We wish them the best of luck for the season."

Jamie Wood, Ottery St Mary under-12 girls manager, said: "We’re really grateful to Persimmon for choosing us as a worthy winner of their Community Champions scheme and it is fantastic that we were able to spend the funds for new kits for our brilliant girls’ team.

"Our ambition is to increase the number of young children taking up a sport and maintaining this through their teenage years and into adulthood, and this donation will certainly help with that."