LADIES of South Somerset have proven they are "in it together" at the district council's women's sports week.

The event, which began on Monday and will run until the end of Sunday, features more than 20 free taster sessions.

There are a wide array of sports on offer, including badminton, aqua fit, hockey, zumba, studio cycling and rugby.

Jake Hannis, senior sport and healthy lifestyles officer at South Somerset District Council, said: “Extensive research identified that significantly more men than women take part in regular sporting activity in South Somerset.

"To tackle this inequality South Somerset District Council led a successful Sport England National Lottery Funding bid of £163,294 for the In It Together programme.

“So far we have been delighted with the reaction to In It Together with many of our courses reaching capacity. However, we want to get even more women active and to link in with Women’s Sport Week we have set up a wide range of exciting free taster sessions.

“The reaction so far has been incredible with more than 200 spaces being filled in three days.

"This is already beyond our expectations but there are still many spaces left.”

Councillor Sylvia Seal, portfolio holder for Leisure and Culture at South Somerset District Council, said: “There is a real movement around female participation in sport and physical activity at the moment.

"This promotion for Women’s Sport Week will build on the awareness and momentum already created by In It Together to help encourage more women and girls to take up exercise.

“In It Together is a completely inclusive project regardless of age or ability and to help us set up the right courses we are currently running a survey on what sports and activities women in South Somerset would like to try.

In 2012/13, 31.7 per cent of females within the district took part in sport and physical activity at least once per week, compared with 37.5 per cent of males.