Students at The Sixth Form Bolton star for England in rugby events

Jack Lightbrown, 17, an A Level student at The Sixth Form Bolton, has starred for his country in the under-18s Six Nations rugby squad.

And another sporting talent at the college is female rugby player Emily Haley, 18 who is studying vocational sport science alongside the college's rugby academy.

Jack travelled to Dublin for two weeks as part of a 26-man squad and played in every game, making his debut against France.

The former Ladybridge High School pupil, said: “I had an amazing experience in Dublin, being part of an international squad was a great feeling.

“Being one of the youngest on the squad I learnt a lot from both my experienced teammates and my coaches.

“The highlight of the tournament for me was beating Ireland 56-14.”

Emily, who went to Fred Longworth High School in Tyldesley, recently qualified to represent the North West at the AoC Sport National Championships as part of the Women’s rugby team.

The event is a celebration of competitive sport in colleges, providing recognition, enjoyment and a unique opportunity for students to compete.

They also remain the largest annual student sporting event in Europe, with nearly 2,000 college students taking part last year.

The tournament took place in April at the University of Nottingham.

Emily had a great weekend and was extremely proud to represent both the college and the region in her sport.

Jack and Emily are both part of the college's rugby academy, an innovative development programme that runs alongside subject lessons.

Students taken part in weekly rugby sessions delivered by a team including Ryan Brierley, a Super League rugby league player for Salford Red Devils.