THREE South Lakeland businesses helped to set the ball rolling for a Caribbean sports side to go for glory in a global competition.

The firms came to the aid of the Trinidad and Tobago men's hockey team when they needed help to acclimatising to a huge drop in temperature during a tournament.

For the Caribbean team switched from its tropical climate at home of 90 degrees Fahrenheit to a bitterly cold 8f when they competed in a competition in Ontario, Canada.

With no outdoor clothing shops in Trinidad and Tobago to kit the team out in cold weather gear, officials had to seek outside help.

Hockey association president Annette Knott got in touch with David Cain, of DC Retail Consultancy, in Staveley, who she had previously dealt with.

Despite very short notice, he contacted Adrian and Julie North, proprietors of Edge of the World in Bowness and Ambleside, who sourced three-in-one breathable waterproof jackets in the team's national colours from Trespass.

And Paul Reilly, managing director of Coniston Embroidery, was able to embroider the jackets with the team's name, after enlisting the help of Maureen Glew.

Clad in their new jackets, the Trinidad and Tobago team made an impression at the tournament and went on to qualify for the Indoor Hockey World Cup in Austria in 2007.