ROBIN Walker MP is "delighted" Worcester Warriors have been bought by the Atlas Consortium.

Administrator Begbies Traynor announced yesterday the sale had been completed “following a complex process”.

Jim O’Toole and his business partner James Sandford have had their bid accepted with Atlas Worcester Warriors now taking over the running of the club.

Worcester’s MP, Robin Walker, has welcomed a deal that will bring new investment to Sixways and a business plan focused on rugby.

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He said: “I’m delighted to see the process of saving the Warriors taking a step forward. It will be a relief to have clarity on the future ownership and to be able to start building for the future.

"We must now make sure that they are able to compete and win a fair place at the top flight of rugby once again. I want the RFU to run a fair and transparent process in order to assess the new owners and to ensure there is a degree of transparency going forward that avoids this club, or indeed any other, getting into the kind of mess it was in last year.

"It is right that they should apply a more rigorous fit and proper process than they did in the past, but it needs to be one that works for commercial investors with rugby at the heart of their plans.

"I am hopeful that if everyone gets around the table over the coming weeks, this can be done in time for the Warriors to be included in the championship next season."

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Last August Warriors accounts were frozen after a winding-up petition was issued by HMRC

In September the government placed WRFC Trading Limited, the company that owns the rugby club, in administration. The Rugby Football Union suspended the club from all rugby competition

In October, WRFC Players Limited, the company that employed the players and staff, was wound up in court.

Mr Walker also welcomed the news that the Worcester Warriors Women will be allowed to compete in the Allianz Premier 15s competition after a successful application. 

He said: “Alongside this, it is fantastic news to hear that the Warriors Women will be able to return to the top flight next year.

"Their performances have been phenomenal and they have earned their place at the top of the women’s game time and time again, not least through the way in which they kept going and kept playing through all the challenges of last year.

"I am hugely grateful to the local businesses who have stepped in to support them. I hope that this may be a case of ladies first and that where the women’s team have led, the men can follow, to resume their place, first in the championship and then the premiership.”