FOUR local footballers are on international duty with Great Britain in the Blind European Championships in Greece.
Worcester's Ajmal Ahmed, Lee Greatbatch and Keryn Seal plus Hereford-based goalkeeper Jon Pugh have all made the 10-man squad.
The European title and a spot at next year's Paralympics in Beijing, requiring a final place, are up for grabs.
The squad's performance manager Jeff Davis said: "It will be tough but Great Britain are rated third in Europe and fifth in the world so we've got a great chance."
Their main rivals will be the hosts plus Spain and France.
Blind football is played on a five-a-side pitch with hockey-sized goals and fully-sighted goalkeepers whose mobility is restricted to a small goal area.
The game is set for another boost early next year when the Royal National College for the Blind, Hereford, hosts a UEFA course for coaches and referees.
Davis hopes the course will help create more opportunities for blind youngsters over the next few years.
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