MEET the Pilgrims - a team whose collective age is well over 300!

They are pictured before their first Southampton Netball Summer League game of 2006, but from the start of the next Winter League campaign they will be known as The Room, in honour of their new sponsor, the Totton-based hairdressing salon.

Pilgrims' experience certainly helped them in their opening match against Applemore Under-16s as they recovered from an early deficit to win 25-17.

Pilgrims have a 60-year-old team captain in goal shooter Carol Wells. She may be a grandmother of four but she still plays every match she can.

She is proving irreplaceable although Alison Cooper (GK) recently showed her versatility by turning her hand to shooting when Carol was on holiday.

Tina Passfield (WD/C), Carol's daughter, is just back from maternity leave.

Other team members include Clare Williams (GA), the team vice-captain, named the season's players' player of the year. Jackie Smith (WA) is more famous for her pole dancing routine on a recent club night out but Fiona Mew (C) and Helen Peters (GD) are the fittest members of the team. They plan a 150-mile charity bike ride at the end of May.

Helen Peters (GD) turned 40 last year but is still attempting a tandem sky-dive next month.

Helen Fay (WD) is the youngest (and loudest) member of the team, while Karen Parsons (GK) is, in her own words, "not as dedicated as others".

Brenda Smith (GS/GK) is a long-standing member of the team while Julie Hooper is a valued coach who has given them new ideas. Hooper, who has coached the team for two years, plays for Leighton in Division 1.