London, Aug.6 : Britain's Sports Minister, Gerry Sutcliffe, is in favour of every school in the country having a boxing club to train pupils to be fit and to counter the spread of gang culture.

At the moment, just one in 25 give pupils are being trained in boxing in Britain.

According to The Mirror, a trial scheme in which coaches from Sheffield clubs teach boxing in local schools has had dramatic results. Hundreds of pupils, including many who did no exercise before, have taken up the sport.

Problem pupils have been less disruptive and police have praised the project for keeping youngsters out of trouble.

Sutcliffe has now decided to expand the scheme from next month to three new areas - Birmingham, the North East and Newham in London.

Equipment such as gloves, pads and punch bags will be paid for from a 25,000-pound fund.

Sutcliffe said: "The real strength of boxing is that it reaches the people other sports can't. I want to see boxing return to schools because it can play a real role in tackling obesity, is great for discipline and, as many an ex-boxer will tell you, provides a real alternative to gang culture. I also want to see us unearth more Olympic medallists."

Britain has eight contenders with real medal hopes competing in this month's Beijing Games.

ANI