LEOMINSTER Hockey Club is celebrating the end of its 125th season in style with both the men's and women's first teams promoted.

Fittingly the men's promotion takes the club to the fifth tier of the National hockey pyramid, its highest ever league standing after the West of England and South Wales hockey league confirmed final league positions based upon percentage points won.

Meanwhile the club's women were promoted to the Northern Division in the West Clubs' Women's League where they will meet rivals Hereford.

Ian Johnson, chairman, said it was a fantastic achievement for the club and Herefordshire hockey as a whole.

"To be competing at such a high standard and against much larger clubs is a reflection of the hard work of all the committee members and the players," he said.

Leominster first team men's captain Jack Castle is in his 10th season with the squad and like many has come through the junior ranks thanks to head of player development Steve Mumford.

He said that it has been great to be a part of and lead such a dedicated team of players to promotion.

"Since being relegated four years ago we have gradually grown through the leagues since," said Castle.

"Not a lot has changed and we enjoy playing hockey as well as being competitive.

"This season everything has gone right and we have ended up getting promoted.

"The league finished with one game to go and we were unsure if we would get promotion or not.

"It's the highest league the club has ever played at so it will be exciting. We hope to be able to hold our own but that league is a bit of an unknown for us.

"We are all putting the work in to get as fit and competitive as we can."

The promotion will see the men's team travelling further afield with two opponents from Exeter and two from Plymouth.

The women's firsts were confident of promotion, but are also now relieved that it has also been confirmed.

"We were two points behind the leaders with one game in hand which we couldn't finish," said captain Becki Boulcott.

"The game in hand was against top of the league who we had already beaten back in October 3-1 so we knew we had a good chance.

"The Hereford game next season will be a big rivalry as we never seem to play them in the winter league.

"It will be exciting and very competitive."