A NEW hockey club has opened named in honour of the first street hockey team in the town – the Widnes Street Hawks.

The new club called the Halton Blackhawks – which opened on July 8 – was started by 25-year-old Shane Hammond, who is the son of Carl Hammond.

In 1983, Carl set up the Widnes Street Hawks 

The 49-year-old, who is now the coach for his son’s team, said: “I didn’t like curriculum sports at school and my sister was roller skating at the time.

“At the end of the sessions a group of lads used to play street hockey with an orange ball and they asked me if I wanted to join in.

“I was 15 at the time and I started to notice groups of people playing hockey around Widnes on car parks and school yards with just a stick and a ball.

“I decided along with a friend of mine to get these people together to play and that’s where the Widnes Street Hawks began.”

As a hockey player and a coach Carl went on to play for England and last year coached the first over 45 Great Britain Squad in the World Championships, with the team coming sixth overall.

Carl added: “It’s great to see my son sharing the same love for hockey.

"It started when he was five and I bought him a pair of Disney roller skates.”

The new Kingsway team is now welcoming new members both young and old and are looking to recruit a sponsor for the adult team for the coming season.

A hockey school is also going to be held by Carl at Kingsway Leisure Centre on Saturdays for children and beginners to learn basic skills in roller skating and in line hockey.

For more information visit @HaltonBlackHawksIHC on Facebook or call Carl on 07817337149.