THE bright lights of Hollywood will provide an unusual curtain raiser for the young rugby and hockey players from a Lytham school.

Los Angeles was the first stop on a three-week tour to New Zealand by 52 players from King Edward VII and Queen Mary School, starting yesterday (Wednesday).

Rugby captain Tom Eastham leads his boys against a Los Angeles Schools' Select XV while hockey skipper Rebecca Minto and her team will meet a Hollywood Athletic Club XI.

The squads wound up their fund-raising effort of £25,000 with a murder mystery evening and barbecue and received their specially designed kit from Chris Moore, chairman of Oldham Athletic and Torex PLC.

School principal Julian Wilde feels that his players are well aware of the challenge facing them both on and off the field.

"All the players will be ambassadors for themselves, their school, their family and their country throughout three very demanding weeks" he said. "New Zealand is one of the world's top sporting nations and we can expect a battle royal in every match."

The Lytham teams will arrive in Auckland on July 27 and will play matches in Wellington, Dunedin, Alexandra, Greymouth and Christchurch before returning home on August 15.