THESE are heady days for Bradford Bulldogs' Ice Hockey Club.

Their under-13s have retained their league title, while 20 club members have represented the North of England in the English Ice Hockey Association (EIHA) Inter-Conference Tournament.

Bradford's under-13 team will now take on the best teams from the south for the chance to be crowned EIHA national champions.

The Bulldogs beat off strong competition from the ten Northern teams in the top tier of junior ice hockey, such as Sheffield, Nottingham, Coventry and Hull, to become regional champions.

Bradford's under-15 team will also be fighting for national champion status after finishing as league runners-up.

Head coach Andy Brown said: "The Bulldogs have had another fantastic year and we are hoping that both teams successfully defend their title.

"I am very proud of all the players in the club, who have trained hard all season to achieve their goals."

But the success doesn't end with the Bulldogs' club teams as 20 of their players have played a major part in helping the North of England teams make their mark.

The EIHA Inter-Conference Tournament was held in Sheffield and not only featured the best age-group players from the North but also the South East, South West, Midlands and Scotland.

The North under-11s, who beat Scotland, and the North under-15s, who beat the Midlands, were crowned champions, while the under-13s also reached their final.

In addition, two Bulldogs under-15 players were selected for the All Star Team in the closing presentations – forward Jacob Lutwyche and defenceman Lewis Baldwin, while 12 Bradford players have been named on national squads for the 2016-17 season, plus two former Bradford players, who didn't take part in the tournament due to playing in North America,

Bradford Bulldogs, a non-profit club who have won the EIHA Development Award for the second year running and the Young Club/Team category in the Provident Bradford Sports Awards, hope that the success of their teams will attract more children to play ice hockey.

They are particularly looking for players for their under-11 and under-13 teams.

Bradford Ice Arena have a beginners' stick and puck session every Wednesday (5.30pm-6.30pm), when any child with good skating ability from aged six upwards can join the session.

For further information on skating sessions, e-mail Andy Brown at andy@icetime.org or www.bradfordbulldogs.co.uk or www.bradfordicearena.co.uk.

The club are also seeking sponsorship, and anyone interested can contact marketing and fund-raising officer Leanda Smith at leandasmith@hotmail.com.