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The award of Local Authority of the Year has come after the council employed a full-time squash development officer funded in partnership with the Squash Rackets Association (SRA) and the Northern Lawn Tennis and Squash Club.

A development programme has been set up providing coaching and participation opportunities for more than 6,000 young people in Manchester during the next 12 months.

This partnership is the first of its kind in the UK and it is hoped the scheme will significantly increase use of the city's existing squash courts and ensure extensive community use of the new National Squash Centre due to be built.

The city's commitment to squash has been instrumental in convincing the SRA to move their national headquarters and more than 20 jobs from London to Manchester.

Manchester's leisure director David Johnston says the programme has also ensured the British National Squash Championships will be staged in the city for the foreseeable future.

"The award is an admirable illustration of the progress that has been made and the levels of both participation and performance now being achieved," he added.