SO THE deadline for the fourth Lancashire Telegraph Grassroots Heroes Awards has come and gone.

The hard work now transfers to those who have to decide who makes the final shortlist.

And believe me, it is no easy task for the judges.

In fact, it seems to get harder each year whichjust underlines something I have known for many a year – the strength of amateur sport in East Lancashire is incredible strong.

I am going to contradict myself a bit here by saying that while I know just how strong sport in the area is, it still surprises me just how good it is.

For what is a relatively small pool to work from, we have sportsmen and women competing at the highest level.

You only only have to look at London 2012 and the Commonwealth Games to realise just how strong that talent is - and how far they have gone up the sporting ladder.

But they had to start somewhere and it is awards like these that give them the platform to go on to bigger and better things.

But it is not just about the athletes because if it wasn’t for the coaches, dedicated club officials and those unsung heroes who give some much for their particular sport just for the love it, then they would not achieve what they have achieved, They have all worked incredible hard - now the hard work to draw up that shortlist begins for us!