An East Lancashire town hall boss and two of her footballing female staff are all revved up for the England women team's appearance in their first World Cup Final on Sunday.

Blackburn with Darwen Council chief executive Denise Park, and borough employees and Blackburn Community Women players Flossie Jones and Hayley Wilford, will be cheering the squad on.

They are delighted with the team's defeat of Australia in the semi-final and in particular with the role played by former Blackburn Rovers players Georgia Stanway. Keira Walsh and Ella Toone.

Ms Wilford, from the environment and operations department, said: “I’ve had a football at my feet for as long as I can remember.

"It’s been incredible watching the women’s game grow over the years and I’m incredibly proud of the Lionesses.

"Football has always been my greatest passion, and Blackburn Community Women are an amazing club, with a great bunch of girls to play alongside with.”

Ms Jones, from adults services, said: “Growing up there were not many female role models in the game

"It is really inspiring to watch some of the Lionesses of a similar age to me from the North West such as Georgia Stanway and Ella Toone doing so well.

“The recognition for women’s football is improving, I think winning the Euros last summer really helped progress.

"From personal experience, we are having more people watch our games, having more opportunities to play in the men’s club stadium and have young people coming to watch and wanting our signatures after games.

"I think the game’s popularity will continue to grow with the Lionesses continuing to break records like getting to the World Cup Final for the first time.

"That’s truly empowering.”

Ms Park said: “This is a fantastic achievement for The Lionesses and it’s also brilliant to see local women taking the opportunity to become inspired.

"Some of the Lionesses once wore Blackburn Rovers shirts and this is a remarkable achievement for those players.

“It is empowering to see that the women’s sport is getting the recognition that it deserves and it has been great to see the progress that they have made and we will continue to support them.

"Good luck to The Lionesses and to Blackburn Community Women this weekend.”

Blackburn Community Women will play their first game of the season in the North-West Women’s Regional League Premier Division after the World Cup Final on Sunday, August 20.