Sandy Colts ninth pre-season tournament brought together more than a thousand players as well as hundreds of spectators last weekend. The club is very grateful for the support of Sandy Town Council as it has kept the pitches prepared and for allowing the

Sandy Colts' ninth pre-season tournament brought together more than a thousand players as well as hundreds of spectators last weekend.

The club is very grateful for the support of Sandy Town Council as it has kept the pitches prepared and for allowing the tournament to be held at Sunderland Road Recreation Ground with no charge.

The tournament was stretched over the period of two days as so many young people took part, especially the girls' football and also the club's size has grown.

In 2003 the club only had four boys teams at under-11 through to under-14 but this year 17 teams entered, including six girls' teams, in four different leagues.

There were 16 different trophies presented this year for the achievements of both boys and girls.

The trophies were sponsored by Mick Manners of Bedford Plastering Ltd, who stepped down as vice chairman of the club this summer.

The winners and runners up in each age group are as follows: under 8 - winners US Valerio - runners up Mid Beds Tigers; under 9 - winners Mid Beds Tigers - runners up Biggleswade Utd; under 10 - winners Leighton Town Youth - runners up Biggleswade Utd; under 11 - winners Leighton Town Youth A - runners up Leighton Town Youth B; under 11 - winners Brickhill Wanderers - runners up Sandy Colts; under 12 - winners Letchworth GCE Blues - runners up Symonds Green; under 13 - winners Langford Youth - runners up - Sandy Colts; under 14 - winners Sandy Colts - runners up Caldecote Youth; under 16 - winners Arlesey Town Youth - runners up Sandy Colts; under 17 - winners Sandy Colts - runners up - Baldock Town; under 10 Girls - winners Cranfield Colts - runner up Sandy Colts; under 11 Girls - winners Biggleswade Utd - runners up - Leighton Utd; under 12 girls - winners Crawley Green - runners up - Woburn Lionesses; under 14 girls - winners Letchworth GCE - runners up City Colts; under 16 girls - winners Crawley Green - runners up - Prior Parkside; open age women - winners Stony Stratford - runners up Sandy Ladies.

Alan Watson, secretary of Sandy Colts FC, said: " Thanks are due to a great many people, but particularly to all the referees who helped make the tournament so successful and to the "volunteers" who help set up, run and take down everything connected with the two days.