A team of youngsters from West Hartlepool Rugby Club is set of for the other side of the world on a unique rugby tour.

The club's Under-17s will be travelling to New Zealand to take on six of the country's leading rugby colleges.

The players and their parents have raised £32,000 to pay for the three-week trip which is one of the most ambitious ever staged by junior side.

They leave Hartlepool tomorrow and fly to New Zealand via Singapore and once they have acclimatised they will begin their six game tour at Macleans College next Wednesday.

The players helped raised funds through a variety of efforts including packing shoppers bags in superstores in Darlington and Bishop Auckland.

West Chairman Ron Greig said: "This is a tremendous effort by everyone involved and I know these lads will be marvellous ambassadors for the club and the town. For club players as young as 15 and 16, to play in New Zealand is quite remarkable, and I am quite sure they will benefit enormously from the experience."

The tour bas been organised by former West fly half Dave Stead who comes from New Zealand but who now lives in Hartlepool.