Walking footballers from the Netherlands recently paid the Grimsby and surrounding areas a visit, enjoying an impressive tour alongside their sporting friends.

Members of the Gold Stars Heracles walking football team travelled over for a full weekend of friendly fixtures, tours and local hospitality organised by Great Grimsby Walking Football Club.

The two sides have shared a strong bond for a decade, with the Grimsby players making an annual trek to the Netherlands. This year, the Dutch squad made the return journey for their first official weekend visit to the area.

Explaining the background to the trip, Peter Cribb from Great Grimsby Walking Football Club said: "Every year we go to Almelo to play their competition, but this year all their lads have come over to us for a change. They are from the Gold Stars foundation and they travel all over. Because we have been going there for 10 years, they decided to come to us for the weekend."

Plans for the weekend included taking the team to Blundell Park, eating at an Italian restaurant, visiting Scunthorpe United and seeing the Signal Box Inn. Other exciting features of the visit included having coffee and biscuits with the mayor and a tour of the Town Hall and Time Trap Museum. Of course, there was also a friendly football tournament, followed by fish and chips.

The hosts were particularly keen to match the warmth they experienced during their extended tour abroad the previous year. "When we went there last year it was their 10th anniversary so we went for a full week rather then our usual five days. They got us tickets for the Heracles V FC Groningen game and invited us into their lounge after the game.

"We also did a training session with them in their stadium and everybody thoroughly enjoyed it. The football's great and Dutch people are fabulous. It's absolutely brilliant so we just wanted to reciprocate."

The packed itinerary ran smoothly from start to finish. With the Heracles trip over Peter Cribb added: "The guests thanked us for all the effort we made to make their trip so memorable, it made it all the better to know they appreciated our effort and how welcoming the people of Grimsby were.

"The weekend was better than we expected, all the events were well supported by all who were present. Thanks to Lincs Inspire and Dave Roberts and Grimsby Town on the Friday. And thanks to Scunthorpe United for their hospitality on Saturday and Corinthians, Fishing Heritage and Cleethorpes Golf Club for entertaining them on Sunday. And a final thanks to our local Mayor and Leader of the Council at the Town Hall. It was an excellent visit and we are looking forward to meeting up with them in Almelo next May."