ACCRINGTON Stanley players are drinking their way to the league title with an energy product made in the Ribble Valley.

And the firm from Brockhall Village, Old Langho, today pledged its support for the Reds on their way back to the Football League.

Science In Sport (SIS), which also has a manufacturing facility in Huncoat, is official nutrition partner for the England Cricket Board, and boasts of helping bring home the Ashes.

The firm also works with the Great Britain Cycling Team, and recently supported Olympic champion James Cracknell and TV presenter Ben Fogle on the Atlantic Rowing Race.

The drinks use complex carbohydrates to boost performance.

Among football clubs which use SIS drinks are Arsenal, Liverpool, Leeds, Blackburn Rovers and Preston North End but the company's managing director today said it was a special honour to support Stanley.

Jean Lawson said: "We are very pleased to be able to help a local football club and we all wish them the best."

SIS, which won the Lancashire Evening Telegraph Business Award for innovation and design last year, has more than 30 employees.

The company was founded in 1992 by sales and marketing director Tim Lawson. He decided to put his degree in Sports Science to good use after continually finding himself giving advice on sports nutrition.

As well as his mother Jean, Tim's father John and brother Simon are directors.

SIS creates its products from scratch, designing, manufacturing and market-ing.

Mrs Lawson said: "We decided very early on that if we wanted to be absolutely certain what went into our products we really needed to do it ourselves.

"It's nice to know that local firms and local football clubs are using our products.

"If we have trials to do it's easier if there is a club nearby that we have close contacts with that we can get volunteers from."