ONE of East Lancashire's top teenage golfers has been drafted into the England girls regional training squad.

Pleasington teenager Corisande Lee has been chosen by the Lottery-funded Start programme to join - bizarrely - the north east regional squad.

Because of the number of girls in the north west squad and Blackburn's relative proximity to the north east, Lee has had to join their squad.

She will take part in a series of training weekends, beginning October 25 at Notty Hill, which are designed to improve all aspects of her game.

Clare Lilley, of the English Ladies Gold Association, said: "There will be around six girls in the squad and they will be given extensive training on all aspects of their game.

"They will be given tips on technique, fitness, the rules of the game and more and the idea is to help them mature into better golfers.

"The next step up from the regional squad is the select squad and then the full England Under 18s or Under 16s side.

"The intention is to get the girls into the higher echelons of amateur golf, like Rebecca Hudson, or even into the professional ranks.

"Corisande has a way to go yet before she gets picked for the England team although it is possible to go straight from the regional squad into the England Under 18s.

"Corisande was recommended by the National Training Officer who may have spotted her at county level or at competitions in the past year.

"He works closely with county coaches and competition organisers and submits a report every year recommending certain players for the Start programme."

Lee is currently studying Golf Studies at Myerscough College, Preston, and has reduced her handicap from 25 to five in the past 12 months.

She only started taking the game seriously a year ago and has certainly caught the eye in that time.

She is an established Lancashire Girls player and her career highlight so far has been reaching the quarter finals of this year's English Strokeplay Championships at Fairhaven.