Budding hockey players have crowdfunded more than £20,000 to secure the future of their club.

The FRE Flyers - named after the Olympic values of Friendship, Respect and Excellence - are based at Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, and plan to use the money to expand and develop the club.

Put together in 2011 and coached by Team GB athletes, the team was only conceived as a short term project, but the passion for hockey from the youngsters shone through. Four of them are now qualified Level 1 hockey coaches.

Founder Chris Grant said: “Well over half of the original kids are still involved.

“We are now registered with England Hockey and our charitable status may be coming through as we speak.”

Thirty boys and girls, from Newham and Tower Hamlets, were trained as part of the Olympic legacy project and toured Holland after just 12 weeks of coaching.

“The idea is to take them back to Holland in the beginning of summer and replicate the original tour,” said Chris.

In just 28 days, the team managed to raise £20,275 to set up the club thanks to generous donators - but had they failed to hit their £20,000 target, they would have received nothing.

The money will be used to recruit 25 new players, buy new kit and develop the club’s role in the community.