ST JAMES Primary School have been crowned national mini handball champions for the fourth time.

The super Saints beat previous winners Daisyfield in an all-Blackburn final at Haslingden Sports Centre.

The competition, now in its 15th year, attracted teams from across Lancashire who were all battling it out to be crowned the top handball team in the region.

East Lancashire, and Haslingden in particular, has been a hot bed for handball talent for well over a decade.

And former Haslingden Handball Club player, Ciaran Williams, the current Great Britain Handball captain was guest of honour to present the trophies.

“It was great to see Ciaran back in the area and handed out the trophies,” said event organiser Bob Rawlinson. “Like these youngsters, Ciaran started playing handball from a young age and was involved with Haslingden Handball Club for many years.

“So it was nice that he could come back and present the trophies.”

A total of 14 teams, mainly from around Lancashire, took part in the competition.

They were split into two groups with the top two teams progre-ssing to the semi finals to contest the B J Rowland Shield.

And the four teams that reached the knockout stages were Crawshawbooth Primary, Rossen-dale, Daisyfield and St James, both Blackburn and St Joseph’s Primary from Ramsbottom.

Both semi-finals were close affairs with Daisyfield and St James ‘A’ progressing to the final with St James winning 2-1 to secure a fourth title.

The rest of the teams competed for the Mini Handball Plate. Haslingden Primary and St Andrew’s Primary went straight through to the Plate semi-final with Whittaker Moss and Hebden Bridge qualifying after play-offs.

And in the final, St Andrew’s overpowered Haslingden Primary 7-1 to win the Plate.

Rawlinson added: “More than 100 children took part in the competition and there were some very close fought games throughout the day and some that were not so close.

“All the children enjoyed the day and all the referees and officials were volunteers from the Handball world and performed their duties exceptionally.”

The competition was sponsored by Rossendale School Sports Partnership and Rossendale Leisure Trust.

While Williams handed out the medals and trophies, he also helped with other aspect of the tournament.

“Hopefully his presence will inspire other children to follow in his footsteps as it was at a Mini Handball Festival in Haslingden that Ciaran started his competitive handball career,” added Rawlinson.