YOUNG STARS of football will represent their town on a grand stage this year.

Whitehaven AFC’s Girls Under 15 team has celebrated the news that they will compete in the Europa Cup which takes place in Paris this year.

Youngsters from the Haven amateur football club will play at Le Parc des Princes, home to League One team Paris Saint-Germaine.

Senior lead coach Jamie Fitzwilliam said: “It’s a great experience for the girls. The group we’ve got have been playing together for a number of years. This is just the icing on the cake.”

He added that as well as for their football careers, it is a “great opportunity” for the girls as young people.

“It’s an opportunity to travel away with their friends and the team.”

Fitzwilliam added that the girls will get the chance to walk out onto a high level pitch, feeling what it is like to walk through the tunnel like Paris Saint-Germaine’s giants.

The team are excited for the trip, “especially after the year that everyone’s had. If they get away it’ll give them something to look forward to.”

Developing young female footballers is important to the club.

Chairman Luke Johnston said: “Over the years our girls offering has continued to develop and increase. We now have the same amount of girls teams as we do boys. This is from U6 Development right through to 1st Team Ladies.”

“It meets with our aim of providing football to all. The experience of going to Paris will be amazing for the girls and I can’t wait to go on the trip with them and watch them play at the Le Parc Des Princes.”

The Europa Cup is scheduled to take place in May and the team will travel with Fitzwilliam, Jamie McKendrey, Jackson Reay, treasurer Anne Marie Houghton and Chairman Johnston.