FOUR men connected to a fast-growing sport invented in the region have been arrested on suspicion of money-laundering.

Rock-It-Ball was developed in North Yorkshire and, since its launch in 2005, has been taken up across Britain and has even gone international.

Police confirmed yesterday that four men had been arrested in connection with an alleged application for National Lottery funding centred around the sport’s introduction.

They included a 50-year-old man from York, a 52-year-old man from Stockton, a 67-yearold man from Northallerton, North Yorkshire, and a 57- year-old man from Malton, North Yorkshire.

The Rock-It-Ball Company, based in Marishes, near Malton, has refuted the allegations, and said it had not applied for Lottery funding.

A spokesman said: “The sport of Rock-It-Ball has had an amazing effect in the community, giving opportunities and responsibility to young people all over the country and this has always been our aim. We do not accept that we have done anything wrong and will defend ourselves as vigorously as possible against these totally unfounded allegations.”

Businessman Paul Law, who looks after sales, marketing and events, said the company was co-operating fully with police, and added: “These accusation are just malicious and there is no foundation in them at all. We have never made an application for Lottery funding.”

It is understood the investigation dates from the summer last year when the National Lottery was given information that it passed to police.

Police yesterday issued a statement that read: “Detectives from the North Yorkshire Police major fraud investigation team have arrested four men on suspicion of money laundering.

“These allegations relate to the obtaining of grants from the National Lottery Awards for All scheme.

“The four men have been bailed to February pending further investigation.”

A Lottery spokesman said: “We are continuing to liaise with the police in North Yorkshire in their ongoing investigation.

We are unable to comment further at this stage.”

Rock-It-Ball is a fast-moving catch-and-throw sport using what looks like a doubleended lacrosse stick.

It is now played by thousands of schools, colleges and clubs across Britain, and even has an international federation.