A fundraiser has been set up to help two young footballers with their opportunity of a lifetime.

Brymbo Lodge YFC organised a Christmas Bingo night for the girls, who help coach their under 8s team, after they found out that the girls had been selected to represent Everton Football College in the Dallas Cup in America in April.

Leah Burke, 16, and Abby Sheriff, 17, first played together in the Wrexham AFCs under 14s team and have since played for a few clubs together prior to their successful trials for the Everton Football College.

The opportunity to go to America for the 12-day trip is a result of the girls' talent and determination in the sport.

Amanda Ellis-Burke, Leah Burke's mum said: "Leah's dream is to play professionally. She has played at a very high level for a number of years, but her dream is to go and have a scholarship in America. At the moment Leah is in Valencia representing Everton football college, and she will be away with them for two weeks.

"It is amazing, they've both had their setbacks, but it made them stronger and determined to follow their dream. Leah's very resilient of things.

"It's just an opportunity that she can't not go really because it's just fantastic to play in America. Its going to be an opportunity of a lifetime."

She added that it had always been Leah's dream to change people's opinions on women in football and was thankful for all the support the girls have had so far.

Abby Sheriff also went to Valencia to play and train. Her mum, Paula Sheriff, said: "Abby's kicked a ball from the minute she could walk. She's been passionate about football since she was little. She's got three older brothers, so she's grown up on the touchlines, so it was inevitable that she was going to play football."

Both girls faced a setback when FIFA could not give them international clearance to play for Aston Villa, a club they had already signed for, due to the distance between Aston Villa and the Welsh border. This was despite the fact that otherwise they lived within the right distance and met all other criteria.

For Abby Sheriff, this issue left her without a club. Her mum added: "She's had a lot of heartbreak; she thought her dreams of being a professional had gone. It's very heart-breaking for a parent when you child is saying please don't let them take my dreams away and there's nothing you can do to stop it.

"All the other clubs had taken on in the summer, same as Aston Villa had, so she found herself without a club. That's how she got to Everton football college. It's put a smile back on her face, she absolutely loves it there."

The girls have bounced back from the disappointment and now have their huge opportunity to coach in America.

Paula added: "It's gone from two little girls with a dream of playing professional football to two little girls being heartbroken to a happy ending. So, I think it's a case of telling all the little girls out there that play football never to give up on their dreams."

The Christmas Bingo night is on December 4 from 6pm till 9pm.