Girls’ football festival a huge success

Over 20 primary schools from across St Helens visited Ruskin Drive Sports Village to compete in the first ever Lily Parr Football Festival.

Organised by St Helens Council’s Sports Development team – in conjunction with the Liverpool County FA as part of the national School Games programme – the seven-a-side Years 5 and 6 girls’ football tournament saw Newton-le-Willows Primary School crowned champions after overcoming Billinge St Aidan’s in a nail-biting final.

The tournament was named after St Helens born Lily Parr who became the first woman to be named in the FA’s inaugral Hall of Fame in 2002 and was held on the anniversary of her birth.

Hailing the day a success, sports development school games officer, Danny Bacon, who organised the tournament, said: “It’s great to see so many girls showing an interest in football which has helped them recognise the influence a local woman in Lily Parr has had in developing the women’s’ game as we know it today”.