Rugby League : Littleborough recognised at the National Rugby Awards

Littleborough Rugby Club finished runners up in the Youth and Mini Section of the Year at the National Rugby Awards

Littleborough Rugby Club finished runners up in the Youth and Mini Section of the Year at the National Rugby Awards at Twickenham.

It is the second time the club has been nominated for a national award in the past three seasons, having also finished runners up to London based semi-professional side Richmond in the Club of the Year category in 2016.

Success on the field included the girls Colts team winning The Woody Sevens and the boys Colts team winning a Lancashire trophy.

Over 300 people travelled to North Wales to take part in the club's biggest ever tour. Despite poor conditions on the Saturday, six teams made the final with the under 10s, 11s and 12s all winning.

Off the field, the club has come together in times of need and this was demonstrated by the way the club looks after one of its own.

Under 10s Daniel Roberts underwent an operation to remove a tumour. The operation was partially successful, and Daniel is currently going through treatment and care to try to prevent any life long effects.

Two of the club's graduating Colts and first team debutantes, Matthew Hayden and Josh Jones, ended up with life-changing injuries after being attacked in a hate crime, and

Matthew suffered a fractured skull that means he cannot play contact sports for a few years and cannot pursue a college scholarship to play rugby in America that he was to be on this September.

Josh, the Colts captain, suffered severe damage to his hand.

These boys were brutally assaulted in a completely unprovoked attack that shook family, friends, the rugby club and the local community.

The club supported the families in every way possible, organising fundraising events, such as a charity rugby game and auction, and raise £2,388, visited them in hospital every day, appealed to the public for help in tracking down Matthew and Josh's attackers and ensured the families were loved and cared for.