A GRASSROOTS football team have had a capital time - on a four-day tour of London.

Under-16 players, from Grangetown Football Club, near Middlesbrough, travelled in style on Manchester City FC's former coach, took on two London teams, stayed in a four-star country hotel and visited Arsenal's Emirates Stadium.

The pre-season tour was a reward for the team's success winning the Cleveland Challenge Cup Final and was thanks to a £7,000 grant from the Tees Valley Community Foundation (TVCF).

The trip accounted for about half the grant - the remainder will go towards equipment including a strip, training kits, portable goals and training accessories.

Last season the team played in the adults' cast-off strip.

Steve Coates, Grangetown FC's under-16s manager, said: "As a football club, we are committed to helping young kids to become active, improve their social skills, feel a sense of belonging and above all have fun.

"We want the football club to be a focal part of the community. But football, even at grassroots, is an expensive business. This generous grant from the Tees Valley Community Foundation will go a long way to helping us achieve our goals."

He added: "The tour was a reward for all the players' hard work last season and, for some, it was their only chance of getting a holiday this year."

TVCF channels all charitable donations and investment directly into grassroots community groups and projects, aiming to alleviate forms of disadvantage.