Young people from across the UK wll have the opportunity to compete in a new competition – the UK School Games – which aims to give an inspirational taster of life at a major championships.

The first four day championship is being held in Glasgow on 7-10 September and is being funded by a £1.5m grant from the Millennium Commission, with support from sportscotland, Glasgow City Council and credit card company, Visa.

The Youth Sport Trust will be responsible for staging the games, which will include athletics, swimming, gymnastics, fencing and table tennis, with disability events in athletics and swimming.

Competitors will qualify to represent their regions at the event through their schools. The games will be hosted in future years at cities around the UK, which will be invited to bid.

With additional events to be added in subsequent years, it is hoped that the games will become the pinnacle of school sport. Athletes will stay in a village, and will experience opening, closing and medal ceremonies.

Secretary of state for culture, media and sport, Tessa Jowell, said: "As one of its final acts, I want to thank the Millennium Commission for its award of lottery money.

"It's also fantastic news that the chancellor has committed £6m to go towards staging the games up to 2011. This will be a celebration of sport for young people and a real legacy for generations."