CUMBRIA'S Cricket World Cup-winning hero Ben Stokes is now also a life member of Cockermouth Cricket Club after he returned to the town which shaped him into a future star.

Stokes was greeted by typical Cumbrian weather as he trudged over the soaked grass at Sandair to be applauded into the clubhouse by supporters and former team-mates.

The all-rounder has been named England's vice-captain for the Ashes ahead of the start of the series on Thursday and he celebrated at the ground he spent most of his teenage years in honing his craft.

With young son Layton clinging to his leg, the 28-year-old chatted with familiar faces and signed bats, balls and scraps of paper for fans young and old who were keen to rub shoulders with the star.

"I don't get the chance to come back here often," said Stokes. "But when I do it always feels like I'm that teenager again running around making everybody's life hell.

"This is where I grew up and spent most of my time in the nets all summer.

"Cockermouth is where I learned to play the game and if it wasn't for the club I probably wouldn't be here speaking to you like this.

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"I'll never forget where everything started and that's here."

Stokes was handed a Cockermouth shirt with his name on the back which he forgot to take away with him after his last appearance in the town for the PCA England Masters game in 2017.

Then a new addition to the club's life members board was revealed with the former Cockermouth School pupil's name gleaming at the bottom of the list.