PLAYERS from Sale Sharks visited retired military veterans ahead of last weekend’s Armistice Day centenary.

The visit was part of the club’s Sharks Forces programme and involved a visit by fly half Alan MacGinty and hooker Curtis Langdon who met eight soldiers including 94 year-old ex- Second World War soldier George Simms at Salford’s Broughton House, a nursing home for military veterans.

The link-up organised through the club’s community trust which supports’ veterans or ex-forces personnel in the North West, included the afternoon spent with some of Manchester's military veterans.

Initially, George along with seven other veterans who live at Broughton House, were invited along to watch Sale take on Saracens at the AJ Bell Stadium earlier this month.

At the game, George met MacGinty and Langdon for the first time and made them promise to come and visit him at Broughton House soon after.

The programme is spearheaded by Craig Monaghan, who said: "The lads really enjoyed spending time with some of the veterans at Broughton House and especially meeting up with George again.

“Curtis Langdon’s dad was also a Royal Marine, so I know he found it fascinating to listen to George and hear more about what life in the forces is like.”