BURY schoolgirls Grace Eaton and Lauren Hughes helped power Bolton Wanderers to a national title...in hockey.

The 15-year-old Bury Church pupils were selected to represent the League One club in the Premier League 4 Sport finals, which were held at the Lee Valley national hockey centre in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

They were joined in the team by Canon Slade pupils Katie Howarth and Emily Charleston, who attended Radcliffe primary school St Saviour's with them and play on the same Bolton Hockey League side County Ladies.

Together with team-mates from across Bolton in a side assembled by Bolton Wanderers Community Trust, they swept all before them, winning their four group games without conceding a goal then claiming a 4-2 victory over Wigan Athletic in a thrilling final.

The competition, for teens aged 13 to 16, involved teams representing nine football teams – including Leicester City, Notts County, Queens Park Rangers, Stoke City and Swansea City.

After scooping the trophy, the young players capped off the day by watching stars of the international game take part in the Hero Hockey Champions Trophy.

Donna Godwyn, BWCT organiser, said: "Merging the girl’s team together using pupils from different schools seemed like a risky idea but the girls proved everyone wrong.

"They played like a team that had always played and trained together, winning all four of their group games without conceding a goal."

Wigan put up a strong challenge in the final, coming back to level with three minutes to play after Wanderers had gone 2-0 up, but the Macron outfit dug deep to clinch a dramatic 4-2 victory.

"The girls were thrilled and shocked to have won all the games like they did and are excited to continue playing hockey at local clubs," Godwyn added.