WALKING football – the version of the game for men of a certain age – has come to Cirencester.

It’s football for the over 50s and all done at walking pace – break into a run and you concede a free kick to the opposition.

The first taster session was put on at the Arena attached to Cirencester Town FC last Friday and there will be another one this coming Friday (December 19) at Kingshill Lane, GL7 1HS, for an hour from 4pm.

Regular walking football enthusiast Phil Rice, 68, turns out regularly for the successful Stroud club, which is based at the Inside Football facility at Brimscombe on Wednesdays (10-11am) and Thursdays (8-9pm).

Rice, who is also deputy chairman of the Cirencester & District Football League and secretary of one of its member clubs, Oaksey FC, has volunteered to help the new walking football project at Cirencester get up and running.

“Walking football is a fabulous game, certainly to play in,” said Rice.

“I live in Malmesbury and there’s a car load of us who travel the 14 miles there and back to Brimscombe, which shows just how much we enjoy the weekly sessions.

“I’m delighted to be involved in the new project at Cirencester and I anticipate being part of it for several weeks.”

Of its benefits Rice, who only began playing football as a social pastime at the age of 47, said of the modified version of the ‘beautiful game’: “Walking football is a great way to start to move around again, to have a kick-about, to make friends and to have fun while playing.

“As older men we are expected to do physical activity for 150 minutes a week and an hour’s walking football really does make a difference. It can help us lose weight, give us more energy, build up our strength, balance and core stability, the things that stop us from falling over!

“There will be young people playing regular football who have fathers, uncles, cousins and friends over the age of 50 who might be interested in walking football, and it would be great if they could spread the word.”

Anyone seeking more information about the free Cirencester sessions, or the established Stroud club, can contact Phil Rice on 07979 694981.