Former club of Whitby's leading Lioness Beth Mead hold open training session on Sunderland beach

The former club of England's leading Lioness Beth Mead is inspiring girls to get into football.

Sunderland Ladies held an opening training session on Seaburn beach on Monday 11 July ahead of the England team taking on Norway in the Euro 2022.

Mead scored a hat-trick during the game, helping England secure a record breaking win over their opponents.

It was the biggest victory in the competition's history and means the Lionesses will go through to the quarter-finals.

On Wearside, Sunderland Ladies Club were encouraging the next generation to get into the game.

Black Cats Skipper Keira Ramshaw is a friend of Beth Mead and was at Seaburn for the session.

Speaking before the match she told ITV Tyne Tees how the women's game had come on "leaps and bounds in the last few years".

She said: "I'm just honestly in awe of them [The Lionesses], they're absolutely fantastic and the following they have got, the support they've got all around them and I hope they know that we're all supporting them."

The beach session at Seaburn gave young girls across the region to come together and try football.

'There wasn't a lot of this when I was younger'

It is hoped the Women's Euros 2022 will create a lasting legacy with more young women getting into the sport.

Ramshaw's team mate Neve Herron is part of England's under 19 squad.

She said: "There wasn't a lot of this when I was younger so I think to try and get the girls involved is a big thing for me."

Herron now dreams of following in the footsteps of Mead, Lucy Bronze and other Sunderland AFC graduates.

She continued: "It's every girl's dream isn't it when you start playing football, just having that experience [of playing for England]."

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