Boccia is played in the Paralympics

The boccia tournament held on Wednesday heralds the start of a series of sporting events organised by the council.

Boccia is similar to bowls but is played competitively by people with disabilities.

The tournament is being held at the Plas Arthur Leisure Centre in Llangefni on Wednesday.

Boccia is played at the Paralympics and last year the UK team won the sport's world championships.

Boccia is popular with disabled athletes

It can be played one-on-one, in pairs or with teams of three indoors on a specially marked court.

The aim of the game is to throw the boccia balls as close as possible to a white jack.

When the game balls have all been thrown, a referee will determine the points awarded to individuals or teams by measuring how near the game balls are to the target ball.

Rachel Cooper, the council's Disability Sport Cymru development officer, explained: "Boccia is an activity that can be enjoyed by persons of all ages and people who have a wide variety of disabilities.

"It can easily be adapted to allow players with a functional limitations to use chutes and ramps in order to position their game balls into place."

The use of chutes and ramps give the competitors the chance to play without having to manually release the ball.

Future sessions

It is hoped the event at Plas Arthur, which is open to anyone who is interested, will help promote awareness of the sport and will be an opportunity to discuss the possibility of future sessions.

On Thursday, attention will turn to soccer with pan-disability football sessions starting in Plas Arthur for 10 weeks.

The sessions will be open to 14-19-year-old girls and boys of all abilities.

The organisers hope that if there is a good response, the sessions will continue.

The last event will be an indoor athletics sessions for children aged between 11 and 14 at Friars School in Bangor on Friday, 28 February.

Ms Cooper said: "The coaches at Menai Track and Field Athletics Club have agreed to invite children with disabilities along to their indoor sessions for a six week block.

"There will be no cost for the initial six weekly sessions and there will be an opportunity to participate in a north Wales festival in Colwyn Bay in April.

"The sessions will be made as inclusive as possible to cater for individuals of all abilities," she added.