It's a case of good things coming to those who wait for amateur rugby league player Stu Tippett who, at the age of 35, is about to embark on his first-ever tour.

Tippett will fly out to Dubai with veterans side the Great Britain Bulldogs on Monday and the Walney Central full back, who previously played for Askam and Dalton, is doing so after raising £2,000 to fund his travelling over the last three months.

That figure includes £600 donated by his parents and money raised from a sports quiz at his club, who also contributed, as did the One Stop at Walney.

Tippett who plays for Cents in the North West Men's League, said: "I got some raffle tickets off the GB team and I sold 400 of them - £100 of that went towards the trip and £300 went to funding.

"It's my first ever tour and it's going to be the trip of a lifetime. I've talked to a few people who have been on it, who have said it's just fantastic out there - all the facilities there are meant to be out of this world.

The Bulldogs is for players aged 35 or above, which will make Tippett one of the more sprightly members of the squad, who will play two seven-and-a-half minute ten-a-side games on Thursday and another two on Friday.

They will then hope to be part of the Finals Day of the tournament, which takes place on Saturday, with the whole tournament occurring alongside rugby union's Dubai 7s competition.

Neal Henderson, who coaches Walney's academy sides, said: "It's going to be a really good experience for Stu to go and play rugby league in Dubai - from speaking to the other lads that have been, the stadiums are fantastic. Even though it's veterans' rugby, it's still going to be very competitive."

Walney One Stop have sponsored the kits for Cents youth players Ryan Wilson and Matthew Henderson, who are part of the Furness Raiders' set-up.