Former Norwich City captain Craig Fleming had a ball of a time yesterday as he helped to kick start a campaign to combat the region's increasing obesity crisis among children.

Former Norwich City captain Craig Fleming had a ball of a time yesterday as he helped to kick start a campaign to combat the region's increasing obesity crisis among children.

To highlight the important part that sports and fun physical activities play in keeping youngster's waistlines trim, the tough tackling defender had to mark footballing wonder kid Josh Clancy in Great Yarmouth's Market Gates Shopping Centre,

Josh played a game of keepy uppy and head tennis with Fleming - who was unaware that the 10-year-old from Hertfordshire can do 4,000 keepy uppies and is well known for his Brazilian style soccer skills.

The two soccer talents helped to launch the Change4Life health drive which was set up after figures showed that in Yarmouth in 2008/9 24.7pc of four to five-year-olds and 33.6pc of 10 to 11-year-olds are classed as obese or overweight.

The figures are higher than the national average.

Fleming, who played 382 for the Canaries, said: 'It is important for children to get outdoors and play instead of playing games consoles and watching satellite television.

'Josh certainly has the skills - I would only try that sort of thing before and after training sessions but I wasn't that good at it.'

Change4Life recommends eight ways in which children can win the battle of the bulge - being active 60 minutes everyday, eating five daily portions of fruit and vegetables, having three regular meals, cutting snacks and treats, proper sized portions, cutting down on sugar, eating less fat and being active during holidays.

If families in Yarmouth ignore the advice then it is feared that by 2050 60pc of men and 50pc of women will be clinically obese.

For further information on the health initiative visit www.nhs.uk/change4life