THREE lads from a Pendle high school have received call-ups to take part in rugby league trials to represent their country on a tour of Australia and New Zealand in two years time.

The trio, all Year 8 students at Park High, Colne, will be training with the elite of the youth game at special trials over the next fortnight after getting a call-up from the British Rugby League Association.

Full back Matthew Walker, hooker Gavin Wallbank and loose forward Daniel Emmott, have all represented the school and local RL club Pendle Panthers this season, and were selected by scouts who were on the sidelines during their North West Counties league games.

The call-ups are a major boost both to Park and rugby league in general in Pendle, which is a development area for the game. Pendle Panthers finished fourth in the league this year in their first season.

If the boys are selected for the tour they will represent Great Britain's amateur rugby league squad "Down Under" in June 2001. They would receive extensive training over the coming two years to prepare for representing their country.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.