A GROUP of rugby-mad Santa's have started a club tradition with a festive cycle back to St Helens.

With Haresfinch rugby league club catering to teams from under 4's through to their Open Age and Masters teams, the club has rapidly developed in recent years.

To support this growth, the club has been constructing new changing rooms and shower facilities this year, while the older Masters platers have been fundraising to support this development and tours that the club embarks on.

These fundraising efforts have included charity events and raffles, and in what is planned to become an annual tradition, a handful of the Masters team cycled all the way from Southport back to Haresfinch on Saturday, November 30.

All donned in festive Father Christmas outfits, the group cycled for 25 miles all the way back to St Helens while making sure there were some much-needed pub stops for refreshments.

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The festive group stopped off at pubs along the wayThe festive group stopped off at pubs along the way (Image: Ste Crehan) Speaking about the charity bike ride, Ste Crehan said: "The Masters team plays for a bit longer than everyone else, so we thought we would try to organise something before our presentation to raise a bit of money for the club.

"We had our bikes dropped off in Southport and stopped off in pubs all the way back so it was such a good laugh. Now everyone is saying that they want to do it next year, so I think it will become a bit of a tradition.

"All the fundraising we do goes back into the development of the club because the growth over the last few years has been massive."

Haresfinch players have been fundraising to support their new changing rooms facilitiesHaresfinch players have been fundraising to support their new changing rooms facilities (Image: Ste Crehan) In an online statement about the changing room development, a club spokesman said: "This has been a huge project for the club, and we are proud of what has been accomplished.

"This has been a long and hard process that began pre-covid when we first started the planning and costing process. This project has been made possible by a range of grants, club fundraising, and volunteer help from friends of the club."

Back at the final stopBack at the final stop (Image: Ste Crehan)You can still donate to help support the club's development here.