Parkour? Jump at chance!

IF your journey to work is getting you down, perhaps you should ­consider ditching the car, Tube or bike, and take up parkour.

The discipline, also known as “free running”, a kind of urban gymnastics aimed at getting you from A to B, is now being offered as a coaching qualification by Westminster Council.

Sébastien Foucan, one of the world’s leading parkour practitioners, was at Moberly sports centre in Kensal Rise on Thursday to launch the new Certificate in Coaching Parkour. 

French actor Mr Foucan became famous in 2006 after his vaults and leaps featured in the James Bond film, Casino Royale.

On Thursday, 14 parkour students became the first to complete the Level 1 certificate, which takes four days and costs £250.

The council plan to lay on further courses in the spring, summer and autumn and also want to open a new dedicated parkour centre later this year. 
TOM BROOKS-POLLOCK