A Newham sports club committed to tackling knife crime will try and set a world record for the number of basketball layups in an hour.

The Newham All Star Sports Academy- NASSA is planning an event at ExCeL to attempt to set a Guinness World Record for the number of basketball layups scored in an hour,

The Basketball Club will use the family event on Saturday, March 3 to show off the skills of its young players. It will involve skills clinics for youngsters as well as the chance to see history in the making.

Although its aim is to raise awareness and donations, it will also allow the club’s young people the chance to see how they too can be part of a sporting record.

Proceeds from the event will be used for NASSA’s Carry a Basketball Not a Blade campaign that encourages young people to say ‘No’ to knife crime and the gang lifestyle that accompanies it and taek up basketball instead.

The campaign was set up by the academy after the death of a players two friends from knife crime, it encourages youngsters from the age of eight upwards to play competitively while learning from the Metropolitan Police about the grim statistics and consequences of knife crime.

As well as proceeds from the tickets, funds will be raised through sponsorship, food and drink sales and on site entertainment. The organisers hope to raise in excess of �5,000 for the academy.

The money raised will be used to build on the success of the Carry a Basketball Not a Blade initiative to extend the project to other parts of East London and help change the lives of even more young people in East London.