The objective of the scheme, which is run by Powys County Council, is in the name – to get young people at secondary schools to take part in an hour of exercise five times a week.

Ellen Jones, Powys County Council's active young people senior co-ordinator who is responsible for overseeing the scheme, said: "The aim is to basically encourage as many young people to be physically active as possible, but we are also looking at leadership for older kids so they can start taking on classes themselves in the future."

The Welsh Assembly Government plans to invest some £7.6 million over the next three years in the scheme, and aims for every secondary school in Wales to be involved in the programme by 2009.

Ellen explained that the initiative has followed on from a similar one in primary schools called the Dragon Sports Scheme. She said although that was a great success it was difficult for secondary schools to offer the same activities because of the sheer pupil numbers involved.

Ellen said: "It is an extension of the Dragon Sports Scheme which came about in 2000 to provide community clubs and primary schools with extra funding, equipment and training to run after school clubs.

"It was found that there were so many going on and the amount of children taking part had risen dramatically but when they went to secondary school the same options were not available due to the number of pupils in secondary schools."

Ellen said that one of the main aspects of the 5×60 scheme is the chance for young people to try different sports, encouraging those who would otherwise not be as interested in exercise.

"Not every child is interested in football and netball so it is pupil run," said Ellen, "they tell us what they want to do and we try to accommodate it. If they tell us they want to try dodgeball, circuit training or rock climbing, it is the role of the officers to facilitate that."

Ellen said that the fact the officers are based in schools means they are easily accessible to pupils.

She said: "It has had the biggest impact in a short space of time because you have the officers in the schools who are accessible to the pupils and they can get hold of them at lunch times or break times. It is nice having someone face to face to do the work for them."

A spokesman for Powys County Council said: "The 5x60 programme intends to make significant inroads into the Welsh Assembly's target of 90 percent of secondary pupils achieving 60 minutes of physical activity five times a week by 2020.

"Every secondary school will have a 5x60 Officer based at the school, whose role will be to consult with the pupils, listen to what activities they would like to do, and look at solutions to the barriers preventing them from taking part in sport and physical activity."

* Anyone who would like to find out more about their local 5×60 Scheme can contact Ellen Jones on 01597 826450.