WHALLEY Range created a bit of history by becoming the first club to retain the Summer Cancer Relief Tournament - beating the undisputed cup kings of Santos along the way!

The Blackburn side showed they were willing to do it the hard way by beating Preston's Santos in the semi final.

The match turned out to be the game of the tournament where a goalkeeper-turned-striker proved to be the unlikeliest of heroes.

Fayaz Bharucha was moved from his usual position from between the sticks after the return of number one keeper Mohammed Khan. But thankfully for Whalley, Bharucha showed he can score goal as well as stop them and his strike took the game in to extra time.

Despite some great attacking play from both sides this one was going to penalties.

But the Bharucha one man show wasn't over there as he went in goals for the shoot-out, saved two penalties and put Whalley Range in the final.

And Bharucha showed it wasn't a one-off as he went on to score twice in the final to beat AC Milham.

The tournament is now in its sixth year and attracted a total of 67 teams from across the North West to compete in five age groups.

In the senior section, the main challenge was thought to have come from Preston with Nile, Fishwick Rangers, Canaries and previous winners Santos all in good form.

But Whalley Range and Bharucha, in particular, had other ideas.

The Under 18s age group provided its own fair share of high drama - none more so than in the final between Real Darwen and Blackburn's Global United.

There was no seperating the teams in normal time but it was Real who held their nerve to win a penalty shoot-out.

Both the Under 14s and Under 12s titles went to Preston sides, Fishwick Rangers and Moor Nook Tigers.

However, there was a local winner in the Under 10s section when a hat-trick from player of the tournament, Jack Warren, guided Accrinton Stanley White's to victory against their rivals Huncoat United.

The tournament was sponsored by Blackburn with Darwen Workforce Development and Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service. All money raised on the day will got to charity Christies Against Cancer.