A NEWLY-FORMED girls' football team is ready to kick-off its first competitive action by parading in new kits.

Bowburn Girls' squad has been preparing to make its debut in Durham County FA's mini-leagues, which get under way after a mid-winter break early next month.

While player recruitment, tactics and training have gone to plan, the team feared it would appear as the "ragamuffins" of the league, without any official playing kit. But an appeal for help through The Northern Echo, backed by a photograph of the girls looking glum in their mismatched personal kit, provoked a response.

On the day the story was published, club secretary Alan Wilson received the call he had been hoping for from a potential sponsor.

It came from Durham building firm D&J Franks, via owner David Franks, who is from the Bowburn area.

He provided the new kit in the company's blue and yellow colours, which the girls will be wearing when they play their first league game on Saturday, March 5.

The strips were given the thumbs up by the girls when they tried them on for the first time in training this week.

Mr Wilson said: "The trouble was they didn't want to take them off. They look excellent and weare very grateful to Mr Franks for his help, particularly at such short notice."

He also thanked the Soccarena indoor football complex, at Belmont, for its help in allowing the girls to train there this week, when their usual venue, in one of the sports halls at Gilesgate Sports College, was unable to be used due to bad weather.

Any girls keen on joining the Bowburn squad in time for the league kick-off are asked to contact Mr Wilson, on 0191-377 9866.