THE Pendle Phoenix RUFC pitches are the best in the league, according to referees.

Stephen Bowes, Adam Hall, Martin Payne, Michael Speight, Adrian Whitehead and Steven Hargreaves work hard all week during the rugby season to ensure the pitches at Hodge House, Nelson, are fit for Pendle Phoenix to play on.

Now the groundsmen have won the Lancashire Rugby Football Union Leagues award in recognition of their hard graft. The award was voted for by Salford University League referees who scored all pitches the teams played on during the 2010/11 season.

The groundsmen look after two full sized rugby pitches and a training pitch at Hodge House.