TRAINING is finally back underway for a Workington-based rugby union club.

Workington Zebras RUFC senior men’s coach Daniel Bowman said: “It’s been a difficult 12 months but it’s cracking to be back.

“We’ve been stop start. We never really got back after the last lockdown.”

The club’s training sessions are growing from strength to strength in spite of the challenges around Covid-19

Bowman said: “We’ve had 40 plus members which has been brilliant and it’s just good to be back in the environment, in the rugby environment.

“We’ve have had a couple of new faces down saying, ‘I’ve not done it for a while’.”

More new recruits are always welcome at the club. Bowman said: “We’d love to see more new people down at the club. Everybody’s welcome, any ability, past or future ambition.”

Coaching is difficult during the coronavirus pandemic, but West Cumbria’s sporting mentors are rising to the challenge.

Bowman, said: “It’s obviously difficult. It’s not the same. There is a difference in it – we’re stopping every 15 minutes to wash our hands and the equipment but it’s about being safe. We can work within that."

Bowman coaches the senior men’s team and on occasion the Zebra Finches ladies team and juniors. The return to rugby has been especially beneficial to the juniors teams, he said.

“There’s no doubt that the boys and girls have missed it. I think everybody’s got a real enthusiasm to be back in that sport context.”

Workington Zebras have been raising funds recently to improve their club facilities and bounce back from the blow that Covid-19 restrictions have dealt to many sports clubs.

The appeal to “Protect young Zebras players from foul play” was launched to raise funds for a fence around the Ellis Sports Ground.

An initial £10,000 was needed to purchase a 1.8 metre fence to be built around The Paddock so that persistent dog fouling on the pitch would stop.

The club pledged a further £2,000 to the purchase and conversion of a freight container into a viewing area. If Workington Zebras can raise £5,000 on top of the £10,000 needed for a fence, they would install temporary floodlighting for their pitch. At the time of writing, Zebras have raised £13,076. There is just one full day left to help the club reach it’s £15,000 stretch target.

To get involved, search Workington Zebras on Crowdfunder.co.uk