FULWOOD schoolgirl Sophie Jarvis has won a Rugby Union Pilkington referee award.

Sophie,12-years-old, started playing rugby at the age of five when dad Robbie Jarvis took her along to Preston Grasshoppers. Since then she has played for five junior teams.

Now, she is not allowed to play against boys, so has joined 20 adults working for their level-one award in the Manchester and District Referees Society. Sophie has already refereed an under sevens tournament ... but her burning ambition is to play for Waterloo Ladies, then captain England. The Broughton High School pupil also plays football, netball and tennis. Sounds like another Sue Barker!

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