Six basketball nets have been installed in Stevenage, thanks to funding from a national basketball organisation.

The new nets were distributed as part of Basketball England’s Project Swish, an initiative that aims to distribute thousands of free basketball nets for outdoor hoops across the country.

Now, nets have been installed at the following parks in Stevenage: Shephalbury Park, Hampson, Peartree, St Nicholas, Canterbury Way playing fields and Ridlins End playing fields.

Three more hoops will be also put up in Peartree Park, Ridlins Park and Broad Oak Way next week.

The installation followed research by Healthy Stevenage, the University of Hertfordshire and Herts County Council’s Public Health team, which identified basketball as a sport more young people wanted to play.

Cllr Jeannette Thomas, SBC’s member for housing, health and older people, said: “This is fantastic news for residents who would like to become a bit more active, and the timing is perfect for young people to use the hoops during the summer holidays.”

Angela Griffin, Hertfordshire Basketball Association secretary and development officer, said: “Basketball is a great sport to be involved in and Hertfordshire Basketball Association are working hard to develop basketball within Stevenage and other districts across Herts.

“With the help and support from Basketball England’s #ProjectSwish, we are working towards making sure every basketball hoop in a public area will have a new net.”