Yes they Khan!

Boxer Amir Khan thrilled more than 700 teenagers in Manchester by joining them at a celebration of local street sports.

The 25-year-old from Bolton is a StreetGames ambassador and made a special appearance at the charity's North West Festival, an annual event organised by StreetGames and supported by Coca-Cola Great Britain. StreetGames’ aim is to provide sporting opportunities for teens in disadvantaged UK communities, and its festivals are a way of encouraging young people from across the region to come together each year to try out different sports.

Local boy Amir is an inspiring figure for all young people involved in StreetGames projects – he’s an advocate of sport as a force for good, and an example of what can be achieved when youngsters are given access to proper training. It was through getting involved with his local boxing gym that he went on to become an Olympic silver medallist and two-time world champion.

Before the event kicked off, the boxing star gave a team talk. "I’ve seen the benefits that sport can bring to the lives of young people and local communities first-hand through my own sport and boxing club in Bolton," said Amir. "It’s great to see the fantastic work that StreetGames do to inspire young people, in the north-west and all around the UK, to get into and stay in sport."

" Providing local access to sports coaching can change lives and communities for the better." Amir Khan

Part of the festival involved the creation of a mural, inspired by the young people’s feelings about equality - one of the four Paralympic values. The words of Amanda Cameron, 22, appear in full: "Equality is believing that no matter who you are you can still be as powerful as the rest!"

The mural is now on display alongside six others at the Olympic Park, as part of a project overseen by artist Luke Embden.

Amir also left his mark on the piece, helping to paint a bright red boxing glove. He added: "Equality sits at the heart of what StreetGames do – they recognise that everyone has potential."