A BOLTON rugby league club have set up a girls' team so they can keep one of their star players.

Westhoughton Lions launched the new side after 11-year-old Lucy Gibbons became too old to play mixed boys' and girls' rugby.

The Lions are the only rugby league team in the town with a junior section and provide rugby for all ages from just two years old up to open-age.

They are forging ahead as a club, both on and off the field, with back-to-back promotions for the open-age team, a thriving junior section and the ongoing building of a new clubhouse on the playing fields at the end of Cunningham Road, known as The Den, where the club plays its home matches.

And the Lions are continuing to advance with the creation of the new girls-only team.

Lucy played her last mixed game for the club at the end of October.

She took up the sport at just four years old at Orrell St James before moving to Wigan St Patricks and then Westhoughton Lions three years ago, finishing as captain of the under-11s.

As well as being a star performer on the field, she has also been productive off it, gaining her first aid certificates and completing a junior officials course.

The Lions are looking to build the girls' team and urge anyone from school age Year 7 up who is interested in playing – regardless of their experience or if they have never played before – to contact Dave Gibbons by emailing headcoach.westhoughtonlions@gmail.com or calling 07415 121219.