THERE has never been a better time for girls to take up football and in Worcestershire the sport is positively thriving.

Helping the game flourish across the county is Manchester United fan, mother and Worcestershire Football Association's Girls and Women's Football Development Officer Julie Leroux.

She has the task of encouraging the growth of women's football and the sheer numbers pulling on kit and boots is testimony to its growing popularity.

Women's football is the country's fastest growing sport and the FA is committed to developing it further.

Worcestershire is about to launch two new leagues -- the Mercian Girls League and a women's league under the control of the Kidderminster and District Men's League -- with the latter the first county-based women's league in the West Midlands.

In addition, the existing Stourport Girls League is in its third season and there are also plans to launch a county-wide high schools' league for under 15s.

Last season the FA boasted 61,000 registered female players and at the county's annual female festival the number of teams has increased from 25 to 43 in just a year.

Leroux believes the new leagues will lead to a growth in new players.

"Travelling has been an issue in the past and players could often spend a day travelling to and from games. Having local leagues will cut this down and give more players a chance to compete," she said.

Leroux became involved in football herself when her daughter wanted to play the game but was unable to find a local team. So she set up a team herself in Redditch in 1995.

She believes it is a vital that girls and women have the same opportunities to get involved in the game as the lads.

"In my experience girls and women want to play football for the same reasons as men do. They just need to be given the chance," she said.

Things are certainly looking bright for women's soccer in the county and anyone interested in trying out the sport or finding out about the new leagues can contact Julie Leroux on 01905-827261.