Cleckheaton's Christopher Butler has been selected for the Great Britain under-18 roller hockey squad.

The 17-year-old former Whitcliffe Mount pupil came through the final trial at Inline UK at Rotherham.

Now after matches against the Welsh under-18s and the Great Britain senior side as warm-ups, Christopher and the rest of the Great Britain squad leave next Thursday for the United States.

They will be competing in the Junior Olympics, but Christopher would not have been able to go without the help of the ASDA Supermarket on Rooley Lane, where his mother Margaret works.

The trip to Detroit will cost £1,500, which the players have to find themselves, but ASDA have helped with a £350 cheque.

Christopher's clubmate Matthew Smith, a 16-year-old attacker from Morley High School, is also in the Great Britain squad, and £150 each was raised for them via a bag-packing day at the supermarket.

In addition, Birstall Trades WMC gave Matthew and Christopher £319 each after a fun day.

A former playing member of Dewsbury Dragons, Yorkshire Bank trainee Christopher now plays for Snaith Stormers near Selby.

They are taking part in the National Championships this weekend in Hartlepool.

Christopher also plays ice hockey for Hull, and he is a defenceman in both sports.

His dad Steven said: "Christopher is going to have to specialise at one sport eventually. At the moment roller hockey is not recognised by the Olympic movement like ice hockey is, which can limit funding, but they hope to get roller hockey into the Olympics in 2008."