ENGLAND women's cricket captain Charlotte Edwards MBE spent a day coaching young people from Haringey to raise the sport's profile in urban areas.

The sports star helped train young people aged between 8 and 13 as they tried their hand at batting, bowling and playing as a team at Broadwater Farm Community Centre, in Adams Road, on Monday.

Speaking at the event, Ms Edwards said she was passionate about bringing the classic sport to those from all backgrounds.

She said: "The future looks bright. It's always difficult in inner cities to get kids into cricket."

The one-day cricket camp was organised by the Marylebone Cricket Club and the Cricket Foundation's Chance to Shine campaign launched in 2005 to promote competitive cricket to at least a third of the country's state schools over a ten-year period.

Organisers said that although the sport's popularity was increasing, a lack of support in state schools remained a problem, as well as other challenges including lack of open space and awareness of how to get involved.

Camp leader John Sullivan said: "A lot of the areas we coach in are football orientated – it's hard to set up new initiatives especially as cricket is stereotyped as a middle class sport.

"24 out of the 27 children here don't know what cricket is."

Broadwater Farm is home to an award-winning football team coached by youth and sports development leader Clasford Stirling MBE.

He said: "I support anything that gives young people something to do and I'm glad Chance to Shine and John Sullivan decided to take up the baton and start the race to produce cricketers in Haringey.

"I'm disappointed at the education system for allowing cricket to die in Haringey. Cricket doesn't exist on this side of the borough. We need to bring back cricket greens and cricket teams in boroughs and schools.

"How do we know if we've good cricketers if there is no chance for them to play?