Schoolboy Sam Parker-Harding has been given more than £1,000 to help youngsters keep their heads spinning without the aid of drugs.

The 13-year-old will use the grant to help his peers steer clear of drugs by funding breakdancing lessons.

Sam was spurred into action after attending classes held in Sompting, near Worthing, by professional break-dancer Ed Funk, who taught a five-week course at Sompting Community Centre, which was organised by youth project Gravity.

Keen student Sam, of Loose Lane, Sompting, was so impressed he applied to the Communities Against Drugs Initiative for funds to pay for another 20 weeks worth of lessons.

Sporting a bruised hand earned during dance practice, he said: "It's hard work. The lessons are two hours long. Now we've got Ed teaching us again, Adur District Council wants us to do a show at the Adur Festival.

"The funding will also buy our break-dancing team T-shirts to perform in. They will have our name, the Mini Floor Crusaders, printed on them."

Communities Against Drugs is part of the Government's efforts to help communities fight drug abuse.

Sam's grant, being managed by Sompting Community Association, will allow up to 30 youths in the area to attend break-dance lessons.

His mum Julie Parker-Harding, 39, said the money will help prevent Sompting children from getting into trouble.

She said: "Sam's done really well and I'm very impressed.

"Half the problem around here is there is nothing for kids to do unless they go out of the way. This will make all the difference. They all really look forward to the lessons."

Adur community development officer Margaret Wilson helped Sam fill out the grant application form three weeks ago.

She said: "I had been working with a group of parents and children in Sompting.

"We decided children needed something to do and raised money to run a youth club but we could not find a youth worker.

"We worked with the Gravity project to get the breakdancing teacher until we could find a youth worker.

"Sam said he would like to continue to make a break-dance display team and raise money for other good causes.

"We have got money to run the junior youth club and Sam's money will run the break-dancing. There will be two activities a week for young people in Sompting."

District council chairman Liza McKinney said: "Sam has achieved something great, not just for himself but for others too."

Sam and his friends recently used their dancing skills to support plans for new skateboarding facilities in the area. Adur council had agreed to spend £41,000 on the skate park, which could be open by the end of March.

Sam, who studies at nearby Boundstone Community College, said: "We did a dance show at the community centre on Friday and charged people to come and watch.

"We have a skateboard crew called ELS - Every Skater Lives - and, if we raise £300, the council will let us have ELS burned on to the ramp."

The junior youth club is now fully staffed and any young people interested in joining can attend a new members' evening tomorrow.

The Gravity project, which introduced the break-dancing classes, was set up with Adur, Horsham and Mid Sussex District Council, West Sussex County Council, West Sussex police, South-East Arts and Children In Need, to give young people the opportunity to get involved in dance and music activities.

The members' meeting at the youth club tomorrow night runs from 6.30pm to 8.30pm.