A CHARITY worker is playing her part in demonstrating that even such a physical game as rugby is not beyond the scope of those in wheelchairs.

Angie Stewart of Aiskew, who suffers from brittle bones and is confined to a wheelchair, works for Open Doors, which helps disabled people to achieve their sporting, educational, employment and social aims.

She is now part of a team helping to organise the first wheelchair rugby team believed to have played in the North-East.

Miss Stewart, 24, said Open Doors became involved with wheelchair rugby after being approached by David Pells, a young North Tyneside man who had previously tried the sport while in Stoke Mandeville Hospital, recovering from a spinal injury.

Miss Stewart said: "David said he would like to continue playing but there was no North-East team that he could join, so he asked if Open Doors could help to set something up."

Miss Stewart said the North-East was classified as stretching from Northumberland to York. At present there were about ten team players, predominantly from the north of that region, training once a week in Middlesbrough, but more members would be welcomed from the Thirsk, Bedale, Northallerton and Richmond areas.

Wheelchair rugby, which is open to both sexes, is the only team sport for tetraplegics or anyone with an upper limb impairment and is played on a standard basketball court using a volleyball. Chair-to-chair contact is allowed, producing some energetic tackles.

The Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby Association development team is working with Open Doors to develop a North-East team, which has decided to call itself The Bulls. It needs sponsorship to help to acquire strip and sports wheelchairs.

The Bulls are planning an event in Whitley Bay on Saturday, October 12, to promote the game and to let disabled people try it. The British national squad will be among those playing on the day.

More details are available from Miss Stewart on (07949) 603379, or Kym Burn on (07776) 052524.