Workington Town have swooped to add another pivot to their ranks ahead of their clash at Coventry Bears this weekend.

Half-back/hooker Joe Prior has signed a deal to keep him at Derwent Park to the end of the season.

And the player will be familiar to the Bears fans after having spent time with Coventry in League 1 before returning to his amateur roots with Wigan St Patrick's.

Town director of rugby Les Ashe was alerted to his release from one of his many contacts in the community game.

Ashe said: "It’s been a mad rush to register Joe to be available for the match this Sunday.

"In fact we started the process on Thursday morning and just managed to get the paperwork in to the RFL before the lunchtime deadline.

I watched Joe at the Whitehaven v Coventry match earlier in the season and he stood out.

He can play six, seven or nine and will do a great job for us. He is an ex Wigan Under 19, played at Leigh and is a great organiser on the field. He is a tough defender and has a great rugby brain.’

Ashe has been working hard to bolster the squad in the last few days after injuries struck and Callum Phillips received a second suspension of a further three matches, to the two he received a week earlier.

Phillips pleaded guilty by letter to a Grade C dangerous contact charge and in the clash at North Wales Crusaders and was banned for three matches with a £75 fine.

But Ashe is determined to bolster Dave Clark's depleted squad and is hopeful of two further signings shortly.

He added: "We're nearly half way through the season and the rigours of the game do take their toll at this point.

"The positive news is that we’re actively and successfully seeking replacements and a couple of our long term injured are due back shortly."

Town were celebrating success in the community last week, as despite their loss to Toronto Wolfpack, they held a hugely popular junior festival.

Over 200 children flocked to Derwent Park with teams from under-7s through to under-11s enjoying a round-robin tournament as the club looks to nurture their links with the youth and amateur game.

More pictures and a report from the youth festival - Page 69.