FORMER England star John Barnes will visit Swindon to kick-start the town’s World Cup-themed Football Festival.

The event which is taking place at Dorcan Recreation Complex, St Pauls Drive, Covingham on Saturday, June 5, has been organised by Swindon Town’s Football in the Community Trust and Swindon Borough Council to promote the sport and provide activities and tournaments for youngsters in the town.

Sponsored by McDonalds, TRAK Solutions, Bliss Hair Salon, 101 Foods, and Thamesdown Hydrotherapy Pool, the festival is aimed at boys and girls over the age of three and will run from 9am-5pm, featuring mini soccer, a disability match, a Cohesion Cup with teams from different cultures taking part, street soccer, girls football, and a schools World Cup match.

Ex-Liverpool and Watford winger Barnes will be present in the morning.

Swindon Borough Council/STFC Football in the Community football development officer Shane Hewlett explained: “The idea behind it is to get as many people children playing as possible, and giving them routes into the game.

“It will be a fantastic day and we are hoping to get around 400 people competing.

“With Swindon Town doing so well at the moment and England looking good going into the World Cup, it is a good time. Football is distracting people from their own troubles. No-one is talking about recessions and things like that - there is a good feeling about the town because of football and long may that continue.”

Cllr Fionuala Foley, Cabinet Member for Leisure and Corporate Services, said: “The football festival will get people into the World Cup spirit and it should be a really exciting day especially as John Barnes will be there.

“I would urge as many people as possible to pop down to Dorcan Recreation Complex to cheer on the young people taking part.”

For more information about the World Cup Football Festival or to get involved, call Shane Hewlett on 01793 617718 or 07919 112982.