New Barrow AFC manager David Dunn has begun his summer recruitment drive with the signing of midfielder Luke James from Hartlepool United.

It will be a second spell at Holker Street for James, who spent the last three months of the 2017/18 season on loan from Forest Green Rovers.

He scored seven goals in 17 appearances during that time, as the Bluebirds escaped relegation from the National League by the skin of their teeth under manager Ady Pennock.

The 25-year-old joins AFC on a two-year contract and will be looking forward to playing again after a serious groin injury ended his campaign early last December.

James began his career with Hartlepool and made his senior debut for them in December 2011 as a half-time substitute against Colchester United.

He then became Pools' youngest-ever goalscorer when he netted a 25-yard volley against Rochdale in January 2012, aged 17 years and 64 days, beating the previous record holder by 48 days.

He won the League One Apprentice of the Year award in 2013 and his good form at Victoria Park eventually earned him a move to Peterborough United the following year, having won Hartlepoo's Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year prizes.

However, his time with the Posh wasn't as successful and he was loaned out to Bradford City for the first half of the 2015/16 season before finishing it back with Hartlepool.

Another spell on loan then followed with Bristol Rovers the next campaign but he struggled to break into their starting line-up and couldn't find the net in 30 appearances.

He then signed for Forest Green in 2017, following their promotion to the EFL, but was loaned out to Barrow before heading back to Hartlepool for a third time in the summer of 2018.

James scored eight goals in 70 games during his two seasons back with Pools, but hasn't played since suffering his injury in an FA Cup tie against Exeter City on December 10 last year.