YOUNG rugby players seized the chance to be put through their paces by three Barrow Raiders players at the club's camps over the Easter holidays.

Joe Bullock, Tom Walker and Brett Carter, who head up Raiders' community department, took groups of children during days of multi-skilled activities and fun at Craven Park.

Despite being organised at short notice, the camps attracted healthy numbers and the players were pleased with the response from the children to the sessions they put on.

“We do a few different things,” said Raiders winger Carter. “We do a few skills and stuff, teach them the basics because – like when we go into the schools – they might not necessarily have had that. So we teach them the basics and then we go into all sorts.

“We do speed and agility, some team games and even play stuff like hide-and-seek around the stadium, so it's a good laugh, really.

“It was quite short-notice when we decided to run them and advertise them. Over the two weeks, there were about 20 kids in total, which is pretty good.

“I'd not met any of the kids before who were on the camps, but they were all really good and we had a pretty good time.”

Carter and Walker have brought with them several things they learnt from their time in the community department at Workington Town, adding to the work already done by Bullock since he took on the role at Barrow.

More camps are planned for later in the year, and Carter is delighted he and Walker have been able to help boost what Raiders can offer to youngsters in the area.

“That's the good thing about me and Tom coming to work with Joe,” said Carter. “He's got his way of coaching and we've got our, and when we all come together the kids are never bored. Even though we've got them all day, there is all sorts of the stuff we can do with them so it's good.

“We're on about maybe doing one in the next half-term before summer, but then there are six weeks so I think the numbers will probably be quite high in those.

“As soon as we get this one out of the way, we're going to start advertising again and give parents a bit more of notice.”