A REFEREES' body are hoping more prospective officials will follow in the footsteps of one of their bright young stars.

Barrow Junior Football League official Keenan Wright celebrated being promoted to a Level Five referee by being appointed to take charge of the Lancashire FA Under-16s Cup final in Leyland.

He was joined by fellow Barrow officials Matt Ryder, Liam Oliver and Reiss Ford.

Clive Roddie, of Furness Referees Society, said: “To be a Level Five referee at such a young age is a fantastic achievement.

“It is a great honour to be appointed by the Lancashire FA for a final as well. To represent our district is a fantastic endorsement of the improvements we have achieved in moving forward with refereeing in the area.”

The Referees Society have organised a course for new officials to take place in Barrow in July.

The course, run by the LFA, is open to boys and girls, aged 14 and up, looking to referee junior or senior games in the area.

The course will run on Saturday and Sunday, July 15 and 16, at Furness College. There is a fee for taking part, but half of this can be refunded when officials meet set criteria, such as taking charge of a certain number of games.

The society are also looking for sponsorship towards the cost of kits and equipment. Any business or individual interested in becoming involved is asked to get in touch.

For further details of the course or sponsorship opportunities, contact bdjflrefs@gmail.com