Birchall siblings look to follow in older brother's footsteps

Morecambe’s Leighton and Nelson Birchall are through to the finals of the National Schoolboy Championships in Grantham on Saturday.

Their older brother William won the title back in 2015 before going on to captain England as they won silver in the Great Britain Schoolboy Three Nations before also representing his country at the European Championships where he also picked up a silver medal.

Leighton, who aged 11 competes in the minors class, saw his opponent pull out of their scheduled 29kg semi-final at the Doncaster Dome on Saturday.

He now faces West Ham ABC’s Harry Penny for the title on May 26.

Nelson, 13, was made to work for his place in the 38.5kg final but got the better of Callum Latimer of Northamptonshire’s Burton Park ABC on a split decision.

Sammy Varey of Trowbridge ABC will be in the opposite corner this weekend.

Nelson’s impressive form has seen him selected as a reserve for this weekend’s European Schoolboy Championships in Bulgaria where England have selected a 20-strong squad.

The boys are looking for sponsors and any people or businesses looking to support them should contact mum Kelly on 07909 573242.

The Birchall brothers are all attached to Blackpool’s Sharpstyle ABC.

They will have a host of representatives in the finals including another local pair, Frank and John Tom Varey,

Frank, 41.5kg, saw off Kings Heath ABC’s Elvis Biddle in Doncaster by picking up a unanimous decision.

John, in the 31kg minors class, got the better of Darlington ABC’s Jon Lee.