AMATEUR footballers in East Lancashire have teamed up to form the area's first all-deaf soccer team.

And those behind the team are wanting more players to swell the squad's ranks as it applies for extra funding to secure its future and realise its immediate goal of playing league football next season.

Blackburn-based East Lancashire Deaf Society's project co-ordinator Sham Ali said the team was set up after he spoke to lots of deaf people who were trying to start a team.

The team, named Burnley Deaf FC, was formed to ensure deaf and hard of hearing people have the same access, rights and opportunities as everyone else.

He said: "At the minute we have an age group of from about 15 to late 20s. Hopefully, if we get the funding, we will be able to set up a number of teams and one for girls as well.

"Our aim is to get them playing in a proper league.

"We are quite lucky we are getting at least 13 or 14 turning up every week regardless of the weather. Some are quite good and could easily play in a league already."

The squad trains every Sunday at Barden playing fields in Burnley and are gearing for their first match in two weeks, a friendly against a disabled team from Manchester.

Burnley Deaf FC have received 10 weeks of funding from Burnley Council's sports development department and has submitted an application for £5,000 to the National Lottery's Awards for All.

Mr Ali said the only issue the team would have in open leagues would be the referee having to use a flag instead of a whistle. Simon Gerrard, disability officer for Lancashire Football Association based in Leyland, said: "This is the first deaf team to be set up in Lancashire so it's brilliant news.

"Disability football is really starting to take off. We are hoping more and more teams appear and more opportunities to progress at local level.

"The routes up to the England teams are far clearer than they are for others."

Burnley Deaf FC train between noon and 2pm. Anyone interested in becoming a member can either turn up or contact Mr Ali on 01282 839180 or e-mail sham@elds.org.uk.

The players so far are Damian Orford, Duncan Stevenson, Gregory Holmes, Christopher Monkhouse, Sean Thompson, Glen Cunningham, Kevin Bradley, all from Burnley, James Woodall, of Rawtenstall, Mattie Burton, of Ramsbottom, Michael Murray, of Newchurch, Rossendale, and Andrew Fisher of Barnoldswick.