A LACK of girls teams in the area has seen Barrow’s Bethany Anderton have to go further afield in pursuit of her rugby league dreams.

Having come through playing mini-rugby in mixed teams at Marsh Hornets and at under-12s level for Walney Central, the promising second row is now travelling down to St Helens each week to play and train with Thatto Heath’s under-14s girls team.

That is because RFL rules do not allow girls and boys to play on the same teams above under-12s level and there are no teams in her age group nearby, although she has trained with the Barrow Island Ladies open-age side.

Anderton has already made a big impact at Thatto Heath, earning a nomination for their 2018 player of the year prize in her first season with the club.

She has taken part in numerous development sessions with St Helens and trained with their Women’s Super League team, along with representing Thatto Heath as a mascot when Saints’ men’s team played at last year’s Magic Weekend in Newcastle.

During the season, her and her parents travel 400 miles a week to Monday night training sessions and Sunday games.

Anyone who is interested in sponsoring Bethany should contact her parents Kevin and Georgia via tads@tads.me.uk.