A SILSDEN club's premises impressed a Government minister during her visit to the district to promote investment in grassroots sport.

Minister for Sport, Tourism & Equalities Helen Grant MP was given a tour of Silsden Association Football Club this afternoon.

She was shown around the clubhouse, which was built in 2009 and is mainly used by the football club and Silsden Cricket Club.

Mrs Grant met club officials, Keighley district Conservatives – including MP Kris Hopkins – and admired the panoramic views of the Aire Valley, visible from the Angel Telecom Stadium.

She said: "The facilities here are superb, and the club has around 400 members and growing. It also has marvellous scenery.

"If people have a good experience of sport they are more likely to stick to it. We want people to enjoy sport and to have a good time socially.

"We have a £1 billion youth and community strategy and we put a lot of money into our grassroots sports. We're keen to improve and extend the facilities we have and to increase the number of coaches."

Mrs Grant noted that grassroots football was benefitting from £102 million worth of investment via a Government, FA, and Premier League scheme being delivered by the Football Foundation.

Mr Hopkins said: "Helen wanted to come and see some grassroots sport in my constituency, and I thought there would be few places better for her to visit than Silsden AFC. It's an amazing place."

Club chairman John Lohan said: "It's encouraging for us that Mrs Grant has taken time out to see what we are doing and to give us the backing that we need."