A new football team is running a competition for the Island’s youngsters to design and name a mascot.

Sheerness East and Sheppey United amalgamated this year to form Sheppey and Sheerness United FC.

The club is now organising a new youth set up for four to six-year-olds and it is looking for a character to symbolise the team from the sidelines.

Head of youth development Simon Crockett, who held a similar position at Maidstone United, thought it would be a good idea to throw the decision out to local youngsters. He said: “The idea is to get the kids involved so they actually feel a part of the development.

“When the young kids see the mascot turn up on match days, their little faces light up. It’s quite a joy.”

Anyone up to the age of 12 can enter and the designer of the chosen mascot, as selected by the club’s committee, will receive a 32GB iPad.

The winning selection will also be made into a costume, which will be worn by a volunteer to lead teams out on match days.

Co-chairman Matthew Smith said: “We wanted to involve the local community as much as possible.

As a committee we have been scratching our heads a bit.

“It would be better for kids to design the mascot because they think laterally far more than adults do.”

He said it would be preferable if the drawings incorporated something about Sheppey and the club colours of red and white.

Island schools are being contacted to see if their pupils would like to get involved.

The closing date for entries will be July 26 so the mascot can hopefully be ready for the pre-season games.

• To enter, send a drawing with your name, age and a parent’s phone number and email on the back, to Sheerness Times Guardian, 44 High Street, Sheerness, ME12 1NL.