FREE coding classes are being launched at three of the town's libraries.

LiveWire has announced that the Code Club initiative will begin at three of its sites from Thursday.

The Code Club scheme currently has more than 6,000 bases in the UK, helping 86,000 children learn coding each year.

The free classes will be available at libraries in Lymm, Westbrook and Padgate.

The Code Club teaches children, aged between nine and 13, the skills required to create animations, websites and games.

Christine Everett, who is one of the LiveWire team that is overseeing the project in Lymm, Westbrook and Padgate, said: "Coding is a massive part of our future and our children’s future, so we are delighted to bring this service to our libraries in Lymm, Westbrook and Padgate.

"The Code Club has become really popular nationwide as it is recognised as a big part of young people's education and we are thrilled to be able to bring this service to the people of Warrington.

"The response for this programme has been unbelievable and classes are filling up quickly so we urge you to book in advance by calling the libraries ahead."

LiveWire’s strategic library manager Wendy Molyneux added: "They are a fantastic way for children to increase their knowledge, explore their creativity and have fun through informal learning activities."

Classes at Lymm Library start at 4pm this Thursday, while sessions at Westbrook Library will begin at 3.30pm next Monday and sessions at Padgate Library will start at 3.30pm next Tuesday.

Classes last for an hour.

Advanced booking is recommended.

For more information about the sessions visit codeclub.org.uk or livewirewarrington.co.uk.

Last month, council chiefs committed to keeping all of Warrington’s libraries open ‘subject to robust business cases’.

The executive board agreed to back the vision for libraries and provide up to £1 million in the council's capital programme to support a planned programme of repairs, maintenance and investment, as well as to provide a one-off £150,000 investment into the book fund in 2018, bringing the total book fund budget to £300,000 for 2018-19.

The council confirmed that the £1 million will be spent from its capital programme, which it said ‘in turn will deliver efficiencies and income back to the library service’.

The one-off £150,000 book investment will be put into the new library at Great Sankey Hub.