Birmingham City Council is offering free swimming for children in a bid to improve fitness levels among the city’s youngsters.

Children under the age of four already qualify for free swimming, but the launch of the Kids Swim 4 Free pass means that anyone under 16 will have access to free swimming in all of the council’s 17 pools.

The scheme is being introduced to improve the health of the city’s children, said councillor Ian Ward, cabinet member for leisure, sport and culture.

“We want to encourage young people to live a healthier lifestyle and hope that this scheme will help combat childhood obesity in the city,” he said.

“We also want children to swim in a safe place rather than risking their lives by swimming in open water outdoors this summer.”

Launching in July at the start of the summer holidays, the scheme will target the 158,000 children living in Birmingham or attending a Birmingham LEA school.

Children will have to meet certain swimming standards matched to their age to keep the pass, which will initially be valid until the end of August 2005.