A WAR of the Roses boxing night is being staged in Blackburn to celebrate the Commonwealth Games' Spirit of Friendship Festival.

Amateur boxers from Lancashire and Yorkshire will compete for a trophy at King George's Hall next month.

Yaqoob Hussain, the boxing coach of the recently inaugurated Audley Amateur Boxing Club, helped select the fighters.

He said: "It will be a good competition of a very high standard. King George's can hold 1,700 people and we hope the people of Blackburn will support us." Yaqoob used contacts at boxing clubs in Yorkshire to handpick 12 fighters of a variety of weights and sizes, which he then matched up to amateurs in Lancashire.

Boys of 11 will fight, alongside experienced boxers aged about 30. Whichever county wins the majority of fights on the night will take the trophy.

"We hope it will become an annual event," said Yaqoob, "but I am confident we in Lancashire will keep the trophy."

The event is part of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council's support of the Spirit of Friendship Festival, which began on March 11 and runs until August 10.

The festival is meant to be a catalyst for the main event in Manchester by a celebration of the diversity of the UK through sport, education, arts, culture and community events.

The boxing night at King George's starts at 8pm on Thursday 16 May. Tickets cost £5 in advance and £6 on the door with a discount for group bookings.

To book telephone King George's Hall Box Office on 01254 582 582.