Northumberland Club’s Squash players after the tournament.

Northumberland Club hosted its own Game of Thrones-themed ‘Battle of the North’ squash tournament on March 2nd after weather raised safety concerns over the originally planned charity exhibition match which was due to feature the seco^nd and thi^rd ranked British Squash players, James Willstrop and Daryl Selby.

The event saw local professional squash players and a few juniors go against one another in matches that proved to be fierce but also light-hearted in front of an almost-full audience who braved the cold to attend.

Thanks to all the players and spectators that made it out tonight to support the event. Let’s hopefully see more of this in weeks to come. @Gleppa777 @NUASquash @goldengutcha pic.twitter.com/zS8gci6DfR

— Northumberland Club (@TheNmbrlandClub) March 2, 2018

Chris Wiggins (left) and Liam Gutcher (Right)

The main match of the event was between Chris Gillespie and rising star Max Foster, both of whom put on a hard-fought match.

Foster said: “It was a close one and I am pretty knackered now, it was a good night … [Chris Gillespie] was a great opponent, he pushed me.”

The night was put on to help raise money for The Northumberland Club Sporting Chance Foundation, a charity set up to help fund athletes in the North East.

Ross Graham, general manager of the Northumberland Club, told JesmondLocal: “In December, my father unfortunately passed away and being a keen follower of sport, he and both parents wanted me to continue in my own sport, gymnastics.

“It made perfect sense for us to set up our own charity rather than donate to one we didn’t know a great deal about and people wouldn’t see the benefit of.”

The charity hopes to crowdfund enough money to support local athletes from April.